PERRIN'S 

HISTORY 


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ILLINOIS 

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J.NICK  PERRIN 


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UUNGIS  HISTORY  SURVCY 
LIBRARY 


PERRIN'S 


HISTORY 


..OF.. 


ILLINOIS 


...  BY  ... 


J.  NICK  PERRIN 


Copyright,    1906,   by  J.   Nick  Perrin. 


PRI.VTED    BY 

1S     STATK    REGISTKIt, 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

This  is  an  attempt  to  present  the  outline  of  Illinois 
history  in  such  a  form  as  to  furnish  a  system,  which  will 
secure  to  the  student  a  convenient  index  for  the  further- 
ance of  his  studies  and  will  enable  the  historian  to  avail 
himself  of  the  groundwork  upon  which  he  may  build. 
Quite  a  number  of  voluminous  historical  works,  contain- 
ing data  concerning  the  various  events  which  have  trans- 
pired in  this  state,  have  been  issued  and  these  may  be  con- 
sulted for  detailed  information.  This  work  aims  simply 
at  a  brief  arrangement,  in  systematic  and  chronological 
form,  of  leading  events,  in  order  to  furnish  a  convenient 
indicator  for  those  who  are  desirous  of  being  assisted  in 
pursuing  their  investigations  systematically.  The  task 
of  writing  a  full  and  detailed  account  of  the  happenings, 
which  have  occurred  upon  the  soil  of  Illinois  within  the 
last  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  years,  will  be  left  to 
more  ambitious  historical  compilers  and  commentators. 
The  ambition  of  the  author  of  this  work  will  be  realized 
and  gratified  if  he  may  succeed  in  infusing  a  spirit  of  re- 
0-  search  into  others  by  indicating  to  them  the  importance 
^  of  the  history  of  our  state  through  this  brief  recital. 
,  ,  Hence,  it  has  been  deemed  adequate  to  the  scope  of  this 
work  to  give  solely  that  important  chain  of  incidents, 

V  which  in  itself  is  sufficient  to  enlist  the  attention  of  those 
^ 

^  who  are  interested  in  the  history  of  a  people  who  have 
contributed  so  largely  to  the  progress  of  the  world  as  the 
of  Illinois. 


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.  Canada  and  Indians  of  t] 
Treaty  1671. 
.  Discovery  of  Illinois,  etc., 
quette  et  al.,  1673. 
.  La  Salle  ceremony  at  the 
the  Mississippi,  1682. 
.  Crozat  Patent,  1712. 
.  Company  of  the  West,  17 

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.  Transfer  of  Fort  Chartre 

.  Capture  by  Clark,  1778. 
.  Erected  into  Illinois  count 

.  Cession  from  Virginia,  17 

.  Cession  from  Massachuset 

.  Cession  from  Connecticut, 

.  Northwest  Territory,  by 
of  1787. 

.  Indiana  Territory,  by  Acl 
gress,  1800. 

.  Illinois  Territory,  by  Act 
gress,  1809. 

.  Illinois  Territory,  Secon 
1812. 

.  Indian  Cessions. 

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CHAIN  OF  TITLE. 

In  tracing  title,  attention  must  be  given  to  whatever 
is  involved  in  establishing  the  various  links  which  form 
the  so-called  chain.  Original  conditions,  changes  and  sub- 
sequent contingencies,  together  with  generally  accepted 
notions,  international  agreements  and  legal  interpretations 
enter  into  the  consideration. 

In  the  course  of  the  world's  affairs  a  theory  was  form- 
ulated that  a  nation  might  acquire  dominion  over  terri- 
tory through  discovery,  conquest  or  purchase.  In  prac- 
tice, it  would  seem  that  a  general  consensus  of  opinion 
agreed  that  the  original  occupants  of  a  soil  should  be  en- 
titled to  its  use.  Where  savage  or  barbarous  nations 
have  been  discovered  by  the  more  civilized  peoples  of 
other  nations,  they  have  usually  been  allowed  to  retain 
their  habitat  on  the  territory  which  they  occupied. 

With  reference  to  the  soil  of  Illinois,  all  three  of  the 
forms  of  acquiring  dominion  (discovery,  conquest  and 
purchase)  are  embraced  within  the  chain  of  title,  in  addi- 
tion to  original  occupancy.  The  soil  has  been  claimed  by 
occupancy,  by  constructive  discovery,  by  constructive 
counter-discovery,  by  actual  discovery,  by  conquest  and 
by  purchase.  Our  present  status  is  grounded  on  these 
with  the  foregoing  supplemental  modifications  of  this 
statement. 

During  the  progress  of  this  work  each  link  in  the  chain 
will  be  presented  in  its  order. 


10 

The  first  link,  or  the  Indian  right,  was  legally  passed 
upon  in  1823  and  in  the  opinion  delivered  by  Chief  Jus- 
tice Marshall,  while  referring  to  "the  original  inhabi- 
tants," is  found  the  following  statement:  "They  were 
admitted  to  be  the  rightful  occupants  of  the  soil,  with  a 
legal  as  well  as  just  claim  to  retain  possession  of  it,  and 
to  use  it  according  to  their  own  discretion;  but  their 
rights  to  complete  sovereignty,  as  independent  nations, 
were  necessarily  diminished,  and  their  power  to  dispose 
of  the  soil  at  their  own  will,  to  whomsoever  they  pleased, 
was  denied  by  the  original  fundamental  principle,  that 
discovery  gave  exclusive  title  to  those  who  made  it."  It 
was  decided  in  this  case,  which  is  reported  in  8  Wheaton 
543,a  that  the  right  of  a  "tribe  northwest  of  the  Ohio" 
to  make  grants  "to  private  individuals  cannot  be  recog- 
nized in  the  courts  of  the  United  States."  But  whatever 
rights  or  titles  the  Indians  may  have  had  in  the  soil  of 
Illinois  have  long  ago  been  extinguished  by  cessions  which 
they  or  their  chiefs  made  to  the  Government. 

a.     United  States  Supreme  Court  Report. 


11 


INDIANS.* 

The  first  inhabitants  on  the  soil  of  Illinois  of  whom 
history  makes  mention  were  Indians ;  and  consisted  mainly 
of  a  confederacy  of  tribes  of  Illini  (or  Illinois).  There- 
fore the  first  link  of  our  chain  of  title  was  formed  through 
their  occupancy.  It  is  idle  to  speculate  on  how  long  this 
occupancy  existed.  Vague  traditions  are  of  no  historic 
utility.  The  true  historian  must  be  a  historical  surgeon 
and  must  carve  all  matters  of  mere  speculation  and  sug- 
gestion out  of  his  consideration.  The  exact  truth  is  hard 
to  be  obtained  at  best;  even  when  the  most  reliable 
sources  alone  are  considered,  without  entering  the  field  of 
guesswork  and  tradition.  As  a  diversion,  the  presenta- 
tion of  the  folklore  or  the  mythology  of  a  people  may  be 
allowable.  But  nothing  less  than  the  nearest  possible 
approximation  to  accuracy  of  statement  can  ever  be  dig- 
nified into  history.  Hence  it  is  out  of  place  in  this  con- 
nection to  surmise  that  the  Illini  were  here  at  any  particu- 
lar time  antedating  authentic  information  on  the  subject. 
The  historic  truth  is  that  they  were  here  in  1673.  They 
were  discovered  then  by  white  men. 

a.     Origin    of    the    Indians — See    Hennepin's    Description    of 
Louisiana  by  Shea — 277. 


12 


SPAIN. 

Although  the  sea-kings  of  the  north  may  have  made  ex- 
plorations on  this  Western  Hemisphere  in  the  ninth,  tenth 
and  eleventh  centuries  as  claimed  by  some,  yet,  the  dis- 
covery by  Columbus  in  1492  of  land  in  the  Bahamas  is  the 
generally  accepted  event  from  which  is  dated  the  begin- 
ning of  American  history.  Through  this  was  given  to 
the  Spanish  government  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  the 
first  claim  by  right  of  discovery  to  that  new  world  in 
which  somewhere  (though  unknown  at  the  time  to  Euro- 
peans) was  Illinois.  This  is  the  second  link  in  our  chain 
of  title. 


13 


V 


16 


ENGLAND. 

When  Cabot  made  the  discovery  of  our  Continent  in 
1498,  under  a  commission  from  Henry  VII  of  England,  a 
claim -thereto  accrued  to  the  English  government  and  Illi- 
nois (though  to  Europeans  an  unknown  part  of  the  Con- 
tinent) was  necessarily  included.  And  the  third  link  in 
our  chain  of  title  was  thus  formed. 


17 


ID 


SPANISH,  ENGLISH  AND  FRENCH  DISCOVERIES. 

Soon  after  the  discovery  of  this  Continent,  three  great 
streams  of  discovery,  settlement,  colonization  and  civil- 
ization came  from  Europe  to  North  America.  The  Span- 
ish came  to  the  South  and  the  English  to  the  eastern  sea- 
board, while  the  French  made  discoveries  along  the  At- 
lantic coast  which  culminated  in  the  Northeast  where 
settlements  were  made  by  them  throughout  Canada,  New 
Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia  and  Newfoundland.  Besides 
these,  minor  streams  were  also  contributed  by  other  Euro- 
pean nations.  Claims  to  various  portions  of  the  North 
American  Continent  were  made  by  the  respective  govern' 
ments  whose  representatives  made  discoveries.  The  de- 
scriptions, which  were  attempted  for  these  claims  at  that 
time,  were  of  the  character  which  accorded  such  scope  as 
would  embrace  everything  as  far  as  it  was  practicable  and 
possible  to  gain  or  hold  possession.  The  limitations  seem 
to  have  been  natural  barriers  and  superior  human  counter- 
agencies.  Lakes,  rivers,  oceans,  prairies,  forests,  hunting 
grounds  and  mountain  chains  furnished  in  their  indefinite 
way  the  boundaries.  The  tenure  of  the  discoverer  hav- 
ing been  as  uncertain  as  the  extent  of  the  discovery,  the 
claim  only  maintained  some  degree  of  authority  so  long 
as  it  or  any  part  of  it  was  not  disturbed  or  overcome  by 
some  one  else. 

Through  the  enterprises  and  movements  of  the  Euro- 
pean governments,  it  came  to  pass  that  Illinois  became 
subject  to  claims  of  title  by  Spain,  France  and  England, 
prior  to  its  acquisition  by  Virginia  and  the  United  States. 


22 


IIB 
LEOH 


IS/3 


23 


SPAIN. 

In  1513  Ponce  de  Leon  under  a  royal  Spanish  grant 
discovered  Florida.a  Under  the  generally  accepted  notions 
in  those  days,  when  claims  were  exceedingly  vague  and 
indefinite  both  as  to  their  scope  and  duration,  he  gave  to 
the  Spanish  government  by  this  act  a  claim  to  an  indefin- 
ite tract  which  extended  so  far  as  it  was  in  the  power  of 
his  government  to  acquire  possession  and  so  long  as  it  was 
not  dispossessed  by  some  counter  claim  of  superior  po- 
tency. Florida  in  this  early  sense  may  have  meant  every- 
thing in  North  America  south  of  the  Great  Lakes.  In 
fact  this  meaning  may  be  gathered  from  the  earlier 
writers."  De  la  Vega,  a  Peruvian  historian,  in  his  history 
of  "The  Conquest  of  Florida,"  finished  in  1591,  speaks  oi 
it  as  a  great  country  of  which  all  the  parts  were  not  then 
known  and  in  admitting  the  difficulty  of  description  says : 
"One  does  not  know  in  effect,  if  on  the  north  (Septen- 
trion)  Florida  is  bounded  by  land  or  sea."  One  presump- 
tion would  limit  its  extent  at  the  first  natural  boundaries, 
the  Great  Lakes,  on  the  north,  though  possibly  in  those 
times  there  was  nothing  to  interfere  with  the  construction 
that  might  have  carried  the  bounds  to  the  Arctic  Ocean. 
Under  either  presumption  or  construction,  as  the  soil  of 
Illinois  was  embraced  in  this  indefinite  tract,  in  our  chain 
of  title  we  record  this  Spanish  claim  as  the  next  link. 

a.     Winsor,  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  Vol.  II, 
233. 


24 

Spain's  claim  was  strengthened  in  1541  when  De  Soto 
landed  on  the  southern  Mississippi  river.  According  to 
the  prevailing  notions  of  those  times,  this  occurrence  car- 
ried with  it  a  claim  to  all  the  country  on  the  stream  and 
its  tributaries.  De  Soto's  indefinite  claim  included  Illi- 
nois as  it  was  situated  both  along  the  Mississippi  and  some 
of  its  larger  tributaries. 

After  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  establish  a  French 
Huguenot  colony  had  been  made  by  Ribaut,  Laudonniere 
and  others  at  Fort  Carolina,  the  third  act  in  establishing 
the  claim  of  title  for  Spain  took  place  when  Melendez  laid 
the  foundation  of  St.  Augustine  in  1565  and  proclaimed 
the  Spanish  king  monarch  of  all  North  America.  And 
though  another  attempt  was  made  two  years  after  this  by 
a  French  expedition  under  De  Gourges  and  although  St. 
Augustine  was  demolished  in  1586  by  tie  English  under 
Drake  (who,  however,  hastened  to  Virginia),  yet  on  ac- 
count of  a  cessation  of  further  attempts  on  the  part  of  the 
French  and  English  to  form  settlements  in  Florida,  Illi- 
nois as  a  part  thereof  was  confirmed  to  the  Spanish  claim 
by  the  universal  acceptance  of  the  methods  adopted  b^r  the 
world  at  that  time. 

While  these  acts  gave  constructive  possession,  no  at- 
tempt was  made  by  the  Spanish  to  settle  on  the  soil  of  Illi- 
nois or  in  fact  by  any  one  else  until  its  discovery  by  white 
men  one  hundred  and  sixty  years  after  the  discovery  of 
Florida  by  Ponce  de  Leon.  It  remained  undiscovered 
and  unexplored  until  the  arrival  of  Marquette  and  Jolliet 
in  1673,  when  actual  possession  was  established  for  the 
first  time  by  Europeans. 


26 


f'(*  1534. 


27 


FRANCE. 

French  explorations  on  this  Continent  began  when 
Verrazani,  a  Florentine  navigator,  was  sent  out  by  the 
French  government  and  in  1525  reached  the  coast  of  North 
Carolina  and  then  explored  the  coast  of  North  America 
from  Florida  to  Newfoundland.  To  his  indefinite  dis- 
coveries was  given  the  name  of  New  France.  Other  French 
explorations  followed  and  in  1534  Cartier  reached  the 
coast  of  Newfoundland  and  discovered  Canada  and  the 
St.  Lawrence  river.  He  erected  a  wooden  cross  and 
claimed  the  country  for  France.  Other  Frenchmen  made 
attempts  at  discovery  and  settlement  in  New  France  until 
in  1603,  when  a  grant  was  made  to  De  Chastes  (which  was 
afterwards  given  to  De  Monts)  by  Henry  IV  of  France  of 
all  of  North  America  between  40°  and  46°  north  latitude. 
As  this  grant  extended  from  ocean  to  ocean,  it  embraced 
the  north  half  of  Illinois.  It  was  the  first  generally 
recognized  adverse  claim  made  against  the  Spanish  and 
although  the  French  made  no  actual  settlements  on  the 
soil  of  Illinois  any  more  than  the  Spanish,  yet,  through 
this  grant  northern  Illinois  became  subject  constructively 
to  a  claim  by  the  French  government.  This  vague  claim 
was  like  its  predecessor  (the  Spanish  claim)  liable  to  be- 
come neutralized  by  some  other  of  equal  potency  or  en- 
tirely negatived  or  annihilated  by  one  of  paramount  force. 
This  contingency  soon  arose. 


30 


ENGLAND. 

In  1606  a  patent  for  the  colonization  of  Virginia  wai 
granted  (which  was  reinforced  by  a  charter  of  1609)  ex- 
tending between  34°  and  45°  north  latitude  (or  from  Cape 
Fear  to  beyond  Halifax)a  and  indefinitely  westward  by 
James  I  of  England  in  order  to  enable  the  planting  of  two 
colonies.  Within  these  bounds  from  north  to  south  the 
Plymouth  and  London  companies  founded  settlements 
along  the  Atlantic  region.b  The  claim  on  the  part  of 
England  included  Illinois,  the  north  part  of  which  was 
resubjeeted  to  the  English  claim  under  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  Charter  and  the  Connecticut  Colony  Rights,  until  the 
treaty  of  1671  between  France  and  the  Indian  tribes  of  the 
West,  when  the  claim  to  the  West  (including  Illinois,  of 
course,)  passed  to  France.  The  Massachusetts  Bay  grant 
extended  "from  sea  to  sea."c  The  English  made  no  ex- 
plorations in  the  western  or  northwestern  region  and  their 
claim  was  only  one  of  constructive  possession. 

a.  Bancroft,  Hist.  U.  S.,  Vol.  I,   120. 

b.  London  Company,  34  degrees  to  38  degrees. 
Plymouth  Company,  41  degrees  to  45  degrees. 
Intermediate  district  open  to  both. 
Bancroft,  Hist.  U.  S.,  Vol.  I,  120. 

c.  Old  South  Leaflets  1,  General  Series  No.  7. 


34 


36 


FRANCE. 

During  the  years  that  the  Spanish  had  been  engaged  in 
the  South  and  the  English  on  the  eastern  coast,  the 
French  had  been  busily  occupied  in  the  Northeast,  where 
they  firmly  planted  the  seeds  of  the  New  France  in 
America.  Cartier  discovered  the  St.  Lawrence;  De 
Monts  and  Champlain  and  others  established  settlements 
and  Quebec  and  Montreal  and  Three  Rivers  were  founded ; 
forts  and  mission  stations  were  erected  and  by  1670  Can- 
ada had  made  decided  progress  and  was  in  charge  of  an 
Intendant  who  administered  affairs  on  behalf  of  the 
French  government  at  Quebec,  which  was  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment for  New  France.  The  early  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  had  brought  the  vanguard  of  those  mission- 
aries, who  aided  so  materially  in  discovery  while  bent 
spiritually  on  the  conversion  of  the  savage  tribes.  Prior 
to  1670  all  of  the  Great  Lakes  in  the  Northwest  had  been 
visited  by  missionaries  and  fur  traders.  These  had 
brought  and  sent  back  to  Canada  accounts  of  a  great  river 
in  the  west  which  had  been  heard,  which  stimulated  both 
the  spirit  of  discovery  and  proselyting.  The  missionaries, 
who  were  stationed  near  the  end  of  Lake  Superior  at  the 
Bay  of  Chegoimegon,  in  their  communication  with  the  In- 
dian tribes  which  came  to  the  station  from  the  south  and 
west,  received  reports  of  a  great  river,  which  the  Indians 
saw  or  crossed  in  their  travels.8- 

a.     Parkman,  La  Salle  and  the  Disc,  of  the  Great  West,  30. 
Letter  of  Marquette  to  Superior,  Relation  of  1670,  87. 
Dablon.  Relation  of  1671,  24,  25. 


36 

As  there  had  long  been  a  search  for  a  short  route  to 
China  and  as  it  was  believed  that  somewhere  in  the  west 
there  was  an  outlet  to  the  ocean,  which  would  furnish  this 
northwest  passage  to  the  Orient,  the  reports  of  this  river 
were  seized  upon  as  furnishing  the  clew.  Both  the  civil 
and  religious  authorities  at  Quebec  saw  an  opportunity  of 
extending  their  field  of  operations.  Mesnard  and  Al- 
louez  had  built  the  pioneer  missionary  station  in  the  ex- 
treme northwestern  Lake  Region.  Dablon  and  Mar- 
quette  worked  in  the  same  field.  In  1670  Allouez  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  a  peace  conference  between  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  western  Indian  tribes  and  the  Canadian 
government.  In  that  year  Perrot  made  his  appearance 
at  the  Sault  Sainte  Marie  or  St.  Mary's  of  the  Falls  as  the 
agent  for  Talon,  the  French  Intendant  of  Canada,  and  as 
the  representative  of  the  French  government  of  Louis 
XIV,  for  the  purpose  of  convoking  a  universal  Indian  Con- 
gress at  that  place.  Perrot  invited  all  the  neighboring 
tribes  and  in  May,  1671,  the  meeting  was  held  at  St. 
Mary's,  where  Allouez  acted  as  interpreter.  At  that 
meeting  a  treaty  was  made,  whereby  the  friendship  of  the 
tribes  was  secured  as  well  as  dominion  over  the  Great 
West  for  France  in  return  for  protection  promised  the 
tribes  by  the  French  government,  and  formal  possession 
was  taken  by  French  officers,  while  a  cross  of  cedar  was 
erected  and  thus  through  this  treaty  and  the  ceremonies 
attendant  thereon,  Illinois  again  became  subject  construc- 
tively to  a  French  claim,  as  it  was  embraced  in  this  in- 
definite cession  of  the  Great  "West.  Marquette,  in  that 
year,  established  the  mission  of  St.  Ignace  near  the  pres- 
ent Mackinac  and  it  was  there  that  he  functioned  when 
the  Canadian  government  decided  to  send  out  a  voyage 


37 

of  discovery  for  the  great  river  which  should  furnish  an 
outlet  to  the  western  ocean  and  a  short  northwest  passage 
to  China.  Marquette  was  joined  at  his  mission  station  by 
Jolliet  and  five  companions  who  were  sent  by  the  Cana- 
dian government.  These  seven  men  set  out  from  St. 
Ignace  on  the  thirteenth  of  May,  1673,  and  began  the 
journey  that  led  through  Green  Bay  and  Fox  river, 
through  the  villages  of  the  Kickapoos,  the  Mascoutens  and 
the  Miamis,  through  marshes  and  swamps  and  across  the 
portages  in  "Wisconsin,  down  the  Wisconsin  river  unti',  on 
the  seventeenth  of  June,  1673,  they  beheld  the  Mississippi. 
Then  they  made  the  journey  down  the  newly  discovered 
stream  to  the  country  of  the  Arkansas  Indians  and  on  July 
seventeenth,  1673,  returned  and  passed  up  the  Illinois 
river  until  they  found  a  village  of  the  Illinois  Indians  sit- 
uated on  the  upper  Illinois  river  near  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Utica,a  in  La  Salle  County,  and  this  advent  of 
white  men  on  the  soil  embraced  within  the  present  limits 
of  our  state  is  the  beginning  of  the  authentic  period  of 
Illinois  history.  The  master-spirits  of  this  voyage  were 
Marquette  and  Jolliet  and  to  them  and  their  companions 
belongs  the  credit  of  having  disclosed  to  the  world  a  dis 
covery  which  is  second  to  none  and  which  has  crowned 
their  names  with  immortality.13 

a.     Mason  in  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  142  (note). 

Parkman,  La  Salle  and  the  Disc,  of  the  Great  West,  69,  223. 
b.    Marquette's  Journal,  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  235  and 
suite, 


40 


V 


KASKASKIAS 


fC/IHOK»AS 


/ 

METCHI6AMEA 


THE  ILLINOIS  INDIANS. 

When  Marquette,  Jolliet  and  their  companions  arrived 
at  the  village  of  the  Illinois  Indians  in  1673,  they  found 
it  in  possession  of  the  Kaskaskia  tribe  which  was  a  branch 
of  the  Illinois  confederacy. 

The  Illinois  confederacy  (known  as  the  Illini)a  was 
composed  of  five  tribes,  viz. :  Metchigamis,  Kaskaskias, 
Peorias,  Cahokias,  Tammarois. 

The  habitat  of  the  Metchigamisb  was  originally  west  of 
the  Mississippi  and  they  really  became  a  part  of  the  con- 
federacy by  adoption.  They  have  impressed  their  name 
on  the  lake  and  state  of  Michigan. 

The  habitat  of  the  Kaskaskias  was  the  region  between 
Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Peoria  and  they  have  impressed 
their  name  on  the  village  and  river  of  Kaskaskia  and  the 
mound0  in  Clinton  County. 

The  habitat  of  the  Peorias  was  the  region  of  Lake 
Peoria  and  they  have  impressed  their  name  on  the  lake 
and  city  of  Peoria. 

a.  Brown,  Hist,  of  111.,  115. 

b.  Beckwith,   The  111.  and  Ind.  Indians. 
Charlevoix,    296. 

Moses,  111.  Hist,  and  Stat.,  Vol.  1,  58. 
Winsor,  Cartier  to  Frontenac,  248.     (Map.) 
Breese,  Hist,  of  111.,  78.     (Map.) 

c.  Dr.  E.  A.  Woelk  in  "The  Dental  Brief,"  September,  1905. 


42 

The  habitat  of  the  Cahokias  was  the  region  of  Cahokia 
and  the  American  Bottom3-  and  they  have  impressed  their 
name  on  the  village  and  creek  and  mound  of  Cahokia. 

The  habitat  of  the  Tammarois  was  the  region  of  south- 
eastern Illinois  and  they  impressed  their  name  on  the  town 
of  Tamaroa. 

The  Illinois  confederacy  never  rose  to  any  great  dis- 
tinction. The  most  important  thing  which  it  accomplished 
was  to  impress  a  name  upon  the  river  and  state  of  Illinois. 
It  may  be  estimated  that  its  population  numbered  more 
than  ten  thousand  when  discovered  by  the  French.  When 
Membre  was  among  them  at  the  close  of  1679  and  the  be- 
ginning of  1680,  he  found  ''seven  or  eight  thousand  souls" 
at  their  principal  village.13  They  were  called  Illini,  which 
term  has  been  given  various  shades  of  meaning,  the  gen- 
eral signification  being,  however,  that  they  were  superior 
men;c  though  their  superiority,  if  they  ever  possessed 
any,  was  not  shown  in  any  marked  degree  during  the 
period  of  authentic  history.  They  served  mainly  as  the 
prey  of  the  fierce  eastern  tribes,  who  made  occasional  in- 
cursions until  ultimately  the  Illinois  were  decimated  and 
the  fragmentary  tribes  were  consolidated  and  found  a 
refuge  for  a  time  in  the  southwestern  portion  of 
the  state  in  the  American  Bottom.  While  the  Kas- 

a.  The  American  Bottom  is  a  low  tract  extending  from  Alton 

to  Chester  and  from  the  Mississippi  river  to  the  Bluffs 
on  the  east  and  contains  something  like  four  hundred 
and  fifty  square  miles  or  about  288,000  acres. 

b.  Le  Clercq,  Estab.  of  the  Faith  (Shea),  Vol.  H,  117,  132. 

c.  Beckwith,   The  111.   and  Ind.  Indians. 

Marquette's  Journal  in  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  251. 


43 

kaskias  were  originally  on  the  Illinois  river  above  Peoria, 
yet,  in  1700a  on  account  of  the  fear  of  the  eastern  Indians 
and  their  frequent  depredations  and  the  harassments  of 
their  neighboring  tribes  they  started  to  migrate  with 
Father  Marest,  their  mission  priest,  to  southern  Illinois, 
where  they  finally  settled  near  the  junction  of  the  Kas- 
kaskia  and  Mississippi  rivers.  All  the  remnants  of  the 
other  tribes  also  became  merged  into  this  Kaskaskia  fam- 
ily. By  1736,  they  were  in  the  southern  portion  about 
Kaskaskia  and  an  enumeration  of  that  year  shows  that 
they  had  only  about  six  hundred  warriors.b  Later,  even 
the  remnants  became  almost  extinguished ;  one  of  the  main 
causes  for  the  almost  utter  extinction  of  the  Illinois  by  the 
other  Indians  having  been  the  murder  of  Pontiac  by  an 
Illinois  Indian  in  1769  at  Cahokia.  Thomas  Hutchins, 
whose  "Topographical  Description,  etc.,"  was  published 
in  1778,  in  an  appendix,  gives  a  list  of  tribes  with  the 
number  of  their  fighting  men  and  among  them  he  places 
the  Kaskaskias,  Peorias  and  Metchigamis  at  three  hun- 
dred.0 According  to  Governor  Reynolds,d  in  1800  there 
were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  warriors  of  the  whole 
confederacy  left  with  a  half-breed  by  the  name  of  Ducoign 
or  DuQuoin  for  their  chief.  Beckwith,6  however,  quotes 
from  a  letter  from  General  Harrison  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  from  which  it  appears  that  when  he  became  Governor 
of  the  Indiana  Territory  (which  included  Illinois)  in  1800, 

a.  Mason  quoted  in  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  142  (in  note.) 

b.  Beckwith,  The  111.  and  Ind.  Indians,  105. 

c.  Hutchins'   Topographical   Description,   67. 

d.  Reynolds,  Pioneer  Hist.,  10. 

e.  Beckwith,  The  111.  and  Ind.  Indians,  106. 


44 

there  were  only  thirty  warriors.  Basing  the  calculation 
on  one  warrior  to  every  five  individuals  and  applying  it 
to  the  latter  statement,  it  might  be  inferred  that  Reynolds 
really  meant  to  give  the  whole  number  when  he  spoke  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty.  After  the  state  was  admitted  into 
the  Union  and  their  lands  were  ceded  to  the  government, 
the  handful  of  Indians  that  was  left  was  removed  to  the 
Indian  Territory. 

Like  all  Indians  the  Illinois  were  somewhat  migratory 
in  their  habits.  Although  their  usual  habitat  was  per- 
haps the  soil  of  our  state,  yet,  they  lived  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  at  times  and  in  the  days  when  Marquette 
was  stationed  at  Allouez'  mission  of  St.  Esprit  near  the 
end  of  Lake  Superior,  they  brought  him  the  news  of  the 
great  river  of  which  he  was  destined  to  become  the  dis- 
coverer later.a  Some  of  them  drifted  about  and  dwelt  in 
Iowa,  Missouri  and  Arkansas  prior  to  the  settlement  of 
most  of  them  on  the  Illinois  river.  In  their  voyage  down 
the  Mississippi,  Marquette  and  the  discoverers  visited 
some  Illinois  on  the  western  side  near  the  Des  Moines 
river,  where  we  find  them  marked  on  the  map  purporting 
to  be  Marquette 's,  though  also  claimed  to  be  a  contempor- 
aneous Jesuit  map ;  and  a  ' '  Metchigamea ' '  village  is  also 
marked  thereon  in  the  Arkansas  country.15 

Tonti's  account,0  as  he  saw  them  in  1679,  does  not  give 
them  a  character  for  good  morals. 

a.  Winsor,  Cartier  to  Frontenac,  201,  234. 
Jesuit  Relation  1670-1   (Dablon). 

b.  Marquette's  Journal,  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,   264. 
Breese,   Early   Hist,   of  111.,   78  (map.) 

Winsor,  Cartier  to  Frontenac,  248  (map). 

c.  Tonti,  58. 


45 

Father  Zenobius  Membre,  who  was  among  them  as 
early  as  1679,  found  them  possessing  a  characteristic  which 
he  describes  as  "thievish."  He  also  represents  them  as 
"wandering"  and  "idle."3- 

La  Hontan  wrote  from  Missilimakinac  in  1689  concern- 
ing a  trip  which  he  undertook  on  September  twenty-fourth 
of  the  previous  year  during  which  he  explored  the  Wis- 
consin, Mississippi,  Illinois  and  other  rivers.  On  April 
ninth,  1689,  he  entered  the  Illinois  from  the  Mississippi 
and  sailed  up  its  stream  till  he  came  to  the  village  of  the 
Illinese  (as  he  calls  them),  where  he  arrived  on  April 
twentieth,  1689.  He  tells  of  how  he  engaged  four  hun- 
dred of  them  to  transport  baggage,  saying  they  were  ' '  in- 
courag'd  by  a  Bribe  of  a  great  Roll  of  Brazil  Tobacco,  an 
hundred  pound  weight  of  Powder,  two  hundred  weight  of 
Ball,  and  some  Arms."b  In  a  discourse  on  the  savages 
of  North  America  he  says  ' '  The  Illinese,  the  Oumamis,  and 
the  Outagamins:  with  some  other  adjacent  Nations  are  of 
an  indifferent  size,  and  run  like  Greyhounds. '  'c  And  as 
bearing  on  this  in  another  portion  of  the  discourse,  he  tells 
how  they  rely  on  this  characteristic  in  case  of  danger: 
"presuming  that  in  case  of  a  discovery,  they  can  easily 
save  themselves  by  their  good  Heels. '  'd 

Father  Charlevoix,  who  visited  the  country  of  the  Illi- 
nois Indians  less  than  one  half  a  century  after  its  discov- 
ery, says  in  a  letter  written  by  him  in  1720 :  ' '  The  Illinois 

a.  Le  Clercq,  Establishment  of  the  Faith,  Vol.  II,  134.  (Shea.) 

b.  La  Hontan,  New  Voyages  to  North  America,  Vol.  I,  135. 

c.  La  Hontan,  New  Voyages  to  North  America,  Vol.  II,  4. 
(5-  La  Hontan,  New  Voyages  to  North  America,  Vol.  II,  77. 


46 

have  the  Character  of  being  cunning  Thieves."  And  he 
tells  what  precautions  he  took  concerning  his  baggage 
during  his  stay  at  the  Rocka  (Le  Roeher)  on  the  upper 
Illinois  river  and  how  in  spite  of  the  exercise  of  due  vigil- 
ance he  missed  ' '  a  Gun,  and  some  Trifles ' '  at  his  departure 
which  he  never  recovered.13 

a.  Starved  Rock.     Accounts,  which  may  receive  some  atten- 
tion from  a  sentimental  standpoint,  have  furnished  a  story  for  the 
Starved  Rock.      It    is    told   that  after    Pontiac's    assassination    at 
Cahokia  in  1769  by  a  half-breed  Peoria  Indian,  Pontiac's  Indian 
friends,  in  order  to  avenge  his  death,  banded  together  for  the  pur- 
pose of   accomplishing   the    extermination   of   the    Illinois    tribes. 
That  having  been  relentlessly  pursued  everywhere  else,  the  Illinois 
resolved  to  make  a  final  stand  at  the  site  of  their  ancient  village; 
but,  after  a  desperate  resistance  of  some  days,  retreated  during  a 
blinding  storm  in  the  night  to  the  rock  across  the  river,  whereon 
the  warriors  succumbed  to  starvation  and  death  in  a  final  contest 
rather    than    surrender    to    their    foes.    It  has  been  told  how  only 
one  warrior  escaped  to  tell  the  story.     But,  from  an  account  re- 
ceived  by   Caton   from   an   old   Pottawatomie   chief    (Meachelle), 
"eleven  of  the  most  athletic  warriors,    in   the   darkness   and   con- 
fusion of  the  fight,  broke  through  the  besieging  lines."    While  the 
data  in  the  foregoing  chapter  do  not  bear  out  the  idea  that  this 
was  the  ending  of  the  existence  of  the  Illinois  nation,  the  story  has 
at  least  served  to  impress  a  name  on  a  very  interesting  spot. 

b.  Charlevoix,  283. 


47 


FIRST  WHITES  AND  FIRST  STATION  IN  ILLINOIS. 

Marquette,  Jolliet  and  five  companions  were  the  first 
white  men  to  discover  and  reach  the  soil  of  Illinois,  so  far 
as  historic  evidence  shows.  Surmises  of  earlier  arrivals 
lack  positive  proof  for  substantiation. 

Marquette  was  born  at  Laon,  France,  in  1637.  He  was 
educated  for  the  priesthood  and  joined  the  Jesuits.  In 
1666,  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  as  a  missionary,  he  came 
to  join  the  colony  of  New  France  on  the  western  Conti- 
nent. He  seems  to  have  been  prompted  in  his  coming  by 
a  strong  desire  to  convert  the  Indians.  After  spending 
several  years  among  the  tribes  located  in  the  region  about 
Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Superior,  he  finally  established 
the  mission  of  St.  Ignace  in  1671  and  here  was  joined  in 
1673  by  Jolliet,  a  merchant  from  Quebec,  and  a  small 
company  who  were  sent  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  for  a 
short  passage  to  the  western  ocean. 

Jolliet  was  born  at  Quebec  in  1645.  He  too  was  edu- 
cated by  the  Jesuits  for  the  priesthood  but  went  into  the 
fur  trade.  When  he  joined  Marquette  in  1673  he  was 
twenty-eight  and  Marquette  was  thirty-six. 

These  young  men  became  the  leaders  of  that  expedition 
which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  northern  Mississippi 
river  and  the  country  of  the  Illinois.  On  their  return  trip 
from  their  exploration  of  the  Mississippi,  as  narrated  in  a 
former  chapter,  they  turned  in  at  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
river  which  furnished  a  shorter  route  to  the  Lakes.  After 
having  voyaged  sixty-five  leagues,  it  was  on  this  river  that 
they  found  a  village  of  the  Illinois  Indians  which  Mar- 


48 

quette  in  his  journal  calls  Kuilka.  It  was  also  known  as 
La  Vantum.  Jolliet  called  it  Kaskaskia.  The  name  Kas- 
kaskia  was  retained  by  the  white  villages  that  became  the 
successors  of  the  Indian  town — one  planted  on  the  site  of 
the  Indian  town  on  the  upper  Illinois  river  near  Utica  and 
its  successor,  which  was  located  for  nearly  two  centuries 
about  seven  miles  above  the  junction  of  the  Mississippi 
and  Kaskaskia  rivers  (and  between  them)  until  the  cur- 
rent of  the  Mississippi  changed  and  through  its  encroach- 
ments washed  away  a  great  portion  of  the  village  and  un- 
til its  main  channel  flowed  through  the  channel  of  the  Kas- 
kaskia and  the  remainder  of  the  village  was  so  endanger- 
ed as  to  require  its  removal. 

The  Indian  village  found  by  Marquette  and  his  com- 
panions has  been  variously  called  Kuilka,  La  Vantum 
and  Kaskaskia  (or  Cascaschia,  as  Membre  puts  it  )  and 
its  population  has  also  been  variously  estimated.  Many 
of  the  Illinois  Indians,  who  were  driven  from  their 
original  seat,  near  Lake  Michigan,  by  the  Iroquois  to  the 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  had  returned  to  the  east  and  were 
located  on  the  Illinois.  In  this  village  Marquette  says 
he  found  seventy-four  cabins.  This  was  in  1673.  Henne- 
pin,  who  arrived  towards  the  close  of  December  of  1679, 
found  it  situated  at  40°  latitude  in  a  marshy  plain  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  river  and  containing  four  hundred  and 
sixty  cabins,  each  cabin  four  or  five  fires,  each  fire  one 
or  two  families.3-  Father  Zenobius  Membre  speaks  of 
it  as  ''The  village  of  the  Ilinois  Cascaschia,  situated 
west  of  the  bottom  of  Lake  Dauphin,  a  little  southwest, 

a.     Hennepin,  Description  of  Louisiana,  153.     (Shea.) 


49 

at  about  41°  latitude."  This  was  in  the  beginning  of  1680 
and  he  says  it  was  composed  of  "seven  or  eight  thousand 
souls.  "a  Marquette  in  his  journal  speaks  of  the  kind 
treatment  accorded  him  at  this  village  and  the  promise  ex- 
tracted from  him  to  return.  On  leaving  he  was  conducted 
by  Indian  escorts  to  Lake  Michigan  (Lake  Illinois  as  it 
was  then  called)  and  reached  Green  Bay  at  the  close  of 
September  where  he  remained  the  following  winter  and 
summer.  He  left  in  October  1674  for  the  Illinois,  reached 
the  Chicago  river  in  November  but  could  go  no  farther  on 
account  of  enfeebled  health.  His  two  companions,  who 
had  come  with  him  from  the  Green  Bay  mission,  built  a 
cabin  near  this  river  and  spent  the  winter.  On  March 
thirtieth,  1675,  they  left  and  reached  the  Des  Plaines  river 
and  floated  down  to  its  junction  with  the  Illinois  river  and 
then  down  to  the  Kaskaskias.  In  April,  near  Easter,  they 
were  received  in  grand  council  on  a  large  meadow  and  in 
the  midst  of  several  thousand  people  (chiefs,  warriors,  wo- 
men and  children  had  turned  out)  established  the  mission 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  which  has  continued  to  this 
day  and  is  known  by  the  same  name.  Shortly 
after,  Marquette  left  for  his  home  mission,  but  died 
on  the  way  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan.b  Allouez  was  appointed  his  successor.0  In  1693 
Father  James  Gravier  built  a  chapel  in  the  fort 
of  the  Starved  Rock.  A  record  of  baptisms  dating 
back  to  1695  is  among  the  archives  of  the  present  church 
of  Kaskaskia.  From  this  it  appears  that  in  1695  Gravier 

a.  LeClercq,  Establishment  of  the  Faith,  Vol.  H,  132.  (Shea.) 

b.  Parkman,  La  Salle  and  the  Disc,  of  the  Great  West,  67. 

c.  Winsor,  Cartier  to  Frontenac,  250,  266,  290,  323. 


50 

baptized  a  child  named  Peter  Aco.  From  this  baptismal 
record  it  also  seems  that  from  1695  until  the  removal  of 
the  Kaskaskia  Indians,  Fathers  Gravier,  Bineteau  and 
Marest  functioned  at  this  mission.  About  the  latter  part 
of  1700  the  Indians  around  the  Kaskaskia  mission,  having 
become  tired  of  the  constant  harassments  from  the  other 
Indians,  resolved  to  leave  that  portion  of  the  country  and 
Father  Marest,  who  officiated  there,  after  endeavoring  to 
dissuade  them  from  their  project,  finally  joined  them  in 
their  migration  to  the  south  which  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  mission  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  Kaskaskia  rivers  about  seven 
miles  north  of  the  present  city  of  Chester.  Here  it  remain- 
ed with  varying  fortunes  for  nearly  two  centuries.  It 
gradually  grew  into  a  considerable  village  which  served  as 
the  early  entrepot  for  trade  between  Louisiana,  in  the 
south,  and  New  France,  in  the  north;  which  became  the 
capital  of  the  territory  of  Illinois  and  the  first  capital  of 
the  state  and  was  recognized  in  the  halcyon  period  un- 
der the  French  Commandants  as  the  "Paris  of  the  West." 
On  account  of  its  proximity  to  the  Mississippi,  the 
constant  washings  of  the  waters  of  the  river  in  their 
attempt  to  find  a  straighter  channel,  caused  the  vil- 
lage to  suffer  much  in  later  years.  After  the  Mis- 
sissippi broke  across  the  country  and  found  its  channel 
in  the  Kaskaskia  river  so  that  the  main  current  began  to 
flow  through  the  Kaskaskia  on  the  east  side  of  the  village, 
an  island  was  formed,  the  head  of  which  gradually 
washed  away  under  the  pressure  of  the  waters  in  their 
still  further  attempt  to  straighten  the  channel  until  the 
safety  of  the  buildings  became  endangered.  Acres  of  land 
were  swept  away,  gardens  were  washed  into  the  stream 


61 

and  buildings  were  loosened  from  their  foundations,  until 
the  work  of  devastation  thus  wrought  by  nature  impressed 
the  village  priest,  Father  L.  W.  Ferland,  with  the  import- 
ance of  making  an  attempt  for  the  preservation  of  this 
olden  Illinois  settlement.  And  to  his  efforts  may  be  at- 
tributed, in  a  large  measure,  the  existence  of  the  new 
Kaskaskia  which  has  been  established  farther  south  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  island  thus  formed  as  above  stated.  The 
olden  cemetery,  in  which  the  pioneer  dead  had  been 
buried  from  time  to  time  for  a  period  dating  back  nearly 
two  hundred  years,  having  been  in  danger  of  watery  de- 
struction, the  legislature  of  1891  appropriated  $10,000  for 
the  removal  of  the  dead.  Under  this  act,  Father  L.  W. 
Ferland,  Hon.  Charles  Becker  and  Judge  Cyrus  Cook  were 
appointed  commissioners  and  entrusted  with  the  removal. 
They  selected  C.  M.  Wheeler  as  secretary  for  the  commis- 
sion, bought  twenty  acres  of  land  situated  on  top  of  the 
hill  on  the  east  of  the  river  opposite  Kaskaskia  near  the 
ruined  earthworks  of  an  old  fort  and  let  the  contract  for 
boxes  and  reinterments.  The  number  of  boxes  conveyed 
•to  the  new  cemetery  amounted  to  thirty-eight  hundred. 
Some  of  these  boxes  contained  a  whole  family.  The  south 
part  of  the  cemetery  (which  is  Catholic)  contains  fifteen 
hundred  unknown,  while  in  the  north  part  (devoted  to  the 
public  generally)  there  are  four  hundred  and  fifty  more 
unknown.  It  is  a  somewhat  remarkable  fact  or 
coincidence  that  while  this  first  mission  was  estab- 
lished by  an  envoy  from  Canada  (Father  Mar- 
quette)  after  two  centuries  of  its  existence,  its  affairs 
should  be  wound  up,  prior  to  its  removal  to  its  pres- 
ent site,  where  it  has  taken  up  its  abode  as  a  new  Kas- 
kaskia, by  another  Canadian  priest,  Father  Ferland,  who 


52 

by  nativity  is  a  Canadian  and  a  near  kinsman  to  the  Abbe 
Ferland,  a  distinguished  Canadian  churchman  and  his- 
torian. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  stated  that  about  the  time 
of  the  removal  of  Kaskaskia  from  the  northern  Illinois 
river  to  southern  Illinois,  Cahokia  began  its  existence. 
From  the  letter  of  St.  Cosme,a  a  missionary  priest,  it  ap- 
pears that  he  made  a  voyage  from  upper  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  site  of  Chicago  and  down  the  Illinois  river  to  the 
Mississippi  and  the  day  after  reaching  the  Mississippi  (or 
on  December  7,  1899)  he  came  to  the  village  of  the  Tam- 
marois.  He  learned  at  this  village  that  the  Indians  knew 
nothing  of  any  priest  except  Father  Gravier.  The  Tam- 
marois  village  was  probably  on  the  site  of  the  present  ham- 
let of  Cahokia  as  the  Tammarois  and  Cahokia  Indians 
were  neighboring  tribes  belonging  to  the  same  confeder- 
acy (the  Illini)  and  practically  occupied  the  same  habitat. 
It  follows  from  this  that  Cahokia  as  a  settlement  or  even 
as  a  mission  station  does  not  antedate  the  year  1700. 
There  are  indications,13  however,  which  warrant  the  state- 
ment that  the  approximate  historic  truth  is  that  its  begin- 
ning may  be  said  to  commence  with  1700  and  hence  its 
founding  is  about  coetaneous  with  that  of  the  Kaskaskia 
of  southern  Illinois. 

a.  Mason  in  Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  143  (in  note). 

b.  Le  Sueur's  Journal. 


53 


DISCOVERY  OF  COAL  IN  ILLINOIS. 

After  the  discovery  of  Illinois,  Jolliet  went  back  to 
Canada  and  his  report  stimulated  other  adventurers.  In 
less  than  a  decade  came  the  bold  enterprise  of  La  Salle. 
Through  letters  patent  granted  by  Louis  XIV,  king  of 
France,  May  twelfth,  1678,  he  was  permitted  ' '  to  endeavoi 
to  discover  the  western  part  of  our  country  of  Ne\v 
France,  and  for  the  execution  of  this  enterprise,  to  con- 
struct forts  wherever  you  shall  deem  it  necessary.  "a 
An  expedition  was  organized  that  year  with  La  Salle  in 
command  and  Tonti  as  his  lieutenant.  In  the  company 
were  Hennepin,  Eibourde  and  Membre,  friars  of  the  Recol- 
lect order.  This  expedition  went  from  Canada  and  passed 
through"  the  St.  Lawrence  river  and  the  Lakes  until  they 
reached  the  country  of  the  Illinois  toward  the  close  of 
1679  after  various  hardships  encountered,  the  most  im- 
portant of  which  was  the  matter  of  building  their  vessel, 
the  Griffin,  and  its  subsequent  loss  as  well  as  other  difficul- 
ties with  which  they  had  to  contend. 

During  this  visit  of  La  Salle 's  party  to  the  country  of 
the  Illinois  (1679)  Father  Louis  Hennepin,  a  Recollect  mis- 
sionary, was  with  the  party.  And  he  makes  the  first  his- 
torical mention  of  coal  in  this  region.  During  their  expedi- 
tion from  Canada,  after  having  arrived  in  the  Miami  coun- 
try and  while  they  were  seeking  for  a  portage  by  which 
they  could  reach  the  Illinois  river,  La  Salle,  while  explor- 
ing the 

a.    Breese,  Early  Hist,  of  111.,  Appendix  B,  272. 


54 

country,  became  separated  from  the  rest  and  as  he  did  not 
return  as  soon  as  they  expected,  searching  parties  were 
sent  after  him.  On  the  following  day  Hennepin  and  two 
others  went  out  again  and  in  the  afternoon  found  him, 
"His  hands  and  face  all  black  with  the  coals  and  the  wood 
that  he  had  lighted  during  the  night  which  was  cold."a 
This  was  in  the  Miami  country,  a  short  distance  from  the 
head-waters  of  the  Illinois  river.  After  giving  an  account 
of  how  they  reached  the  Illinois  he  says:  "There  are 
mines  of  coal,  slate,  iron,  and  lumps  of  pure  red  copper 
which  are  found  in  various  places  indicate  that  there  are 
mines  and  perhaps  other  metals  and  minerals,  which  will 
one  day  be  discovered."13  These  vague  references  would 
furnish  no  definite  index  to  the  location  of  the  coal  fields 
hinted  at  beyond  the  inference  that  they  were  somewhere 
in  northern  Illinois.  When  amplified  by  the  testimony 
of  later  writers  it  becomes  possible  to  designate  the  loca- 
tion with  greater  certainty. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  September,  1720,  Father 
Charlevoix  arrived  at  the  junction  of  the  Kankakee 
and  Illinois  rivers.  Lower  down  on  the  Illinois  at 
its  junction  with  a  river  which  he  mentions  as  being 
called  the  Pisticoui  and  which  flows  from  the  country  of 
the  Mascoutens,  he  speaks  of  a  fall  called  la  Char- 
boniere  "because  they  find  many  Coals  in  its  Environs."0 
(This  was  in  what  is  now  La  Salle  County.) 

From  Kennedy's  Journald  it  appears  that  on  the  sixth 

a.  Hennepin,  Description  of  Louisiana,  137   (Shea). 

b.  Hennepin,  Description  of  Louisiana,  151  (Shea). 

c.  Charlevoix,  281. 

d.  Kennedy's  Journal  in  Hutchins'  Top.    Des.  56,  61. 


55 

of  August,  1773,  he  passed  the  junction  of  the  Illinois  and 
Mackinaw  rivers  where  he  found  some  pieces  of  coal  and 
he  says:  "I  was  induced  to  walk  up  the  river  a  few 
miles,  tho '  not  far  enough,  to  reach  a  coal  mine.  In  many 
places  I  also  found  clinkers,  which  inclined  me  to  think 
that  a  coal  mine,  not  far  distant,  was  on  fire,  and  I  have 
since  heard,  there  was."  On  the  ninth  of  August  theya 
passed  the  Vermilion  and  one  mile  farther,  the  water  be- 
ing too  low  for  the  boat,  the  boat  was  left  and  they  went 
by  land.  On  the  tenth  of  August  they  came  to  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Illinois  and  the  Fox  (Pisticoui).  Proceeding 
fifteen  miles  farther,  they  stopped  at  an  encampment  of 
French  traders  on  an  island,  but,  receiving  no  informa- 
tion about  the  copper  mine  which  they  were  hunting,  thej 
started  back  on  the  eleventh  for  their  boat  which  was  about 
forty-five  miles  away  according  to  his  computation.  That 
night  they  got  within  nine  miles  of  their  boat.  On  the 
morning  of  the  twelfth,  they  went  three  miles  farther 
down  and  being  then  six  miles  from  their  boat  (which  was 
left  one  mile  above  the  mouth  of  the  Vermilion)  they  were 
at  this  point  seven  miles  above  the  mouth :  which  is  near 
the  present  town  of  La  Salle.  This  point  must  have  been 
near  Utica,  the  site  of  the  old  Kaskaskia  Indian  town. 
Kennedy  says :  ' '  On  the  north-western  side  of  this  river 
is  a  coal  mine,  that  extends  for  half  a  mile  along  the  mid- 
dle of  the  bank  of  the  river,  which  is  high. ' ' 

In  a  book  issued  in  1823,  Beck  says :    ' '  Coal  is  found  in 
great   abundance  in  different  parts  of  the  state;  it  is 

a.  Several  Coureurs  de  Bois  (forest  rangers)  were  with  him. 

b.  Beck,  Gazetteer  of  111.  and  Mo.,  41. 


56 

of  a  good  quality,  and  is  very  valuable  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  timber." 

In  the  interval  of  time  between  Hennepin's  account 
and  the  present,  the  coal  industry  of  this  state  has  grown 
to  such  extensive  proportions  that  it  is  one  of  our  leading 
industries.  From  a  summary  furnished  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Illinois  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  it  appears  that 
in  1905  there  were  990  mines  in  the  state  which  produced 
37,183,374  tons  and  this  product  was  secured  by  the 
efforts  of  59,230  employees.  Fifty-six  of  the  one  hundred 
and  two  counties  of  the  state  contributed  toward  this 
production. 


57 


FIRST  FORT  IN  ILLINOIS. 

In  January,  1680,  La  Salle's  company  was  among  the 
tribes  near  Peoria  where  they  built  a  fort  which  they 
called  Creve  Coeur.  From  Hennepin's  map  it  would 
appear  that  it  was  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.a 
Leclercq,b  who  obtained  his  information  from  Father 
Membre's  diary,  speaks  of  the  location  as  "a  little  emi- 
nence," while  Hennepin0  calls  it  "a  little  mound,"  and 
La  Salled  calls  it  "a  little  hillock,"  and  Tonti6  calls  it  "a 
height"  near  to  the  river.  It  has  been  pretty  definitely 
settled  where  this  site  is  and  on  the  strength  of  the  pre- 
ponderance of  the  views  of  the  later  historians,  a  monu- 
ment has  been  established  on  the  spot  at  Wesley  City  in 
Tazewell  County  by  the  Peoria  Chapter  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution.*  The  original  fort  was  per- 
haps not  a  very  pretentious  structure  but  it  served  as  a 
defense  against  hostile  Indian  attacks.  Hennepin 
describes  how  the  eminence  was  cut  down  steep  at 
the  sides  and  how  they  supported  the  earth  with  timber 
and  then  placed  a  stockade  around  it  while  the 

a.  Hennepin,  Description  of  Louisiana  (Map)   (Shea). 

b.  LeClercq,  Establishment  of  the  Faith,  Vol.  II,  123  (Shea). 

c.  Hennepin,  Description  of  Louisiana,   176    (Shea). 

d.  La  Salle  in  Margry,  Vol.  H,  48,  49. 

e.  Tonti,  61. 

f.  Ada  Greenwood  McLaughlin,  111.  Hist.  Soc.   Pub.  7,  (1902), 

179  and  suite. 


58 

summit  was  left  in  its  natural  shape  except  that  they 
placed  a  raised  wall  of  earth  at  the  edge.  The  men  were 
provided  with  barracks  in  two  angles  and  the  priests  had 
a  cabin  where  they  lodged  and  where  they  held  services. 
They  also  had  a  forge  for  the  blacksmith  and  officers' 
quarters  where  La  Salle  and  Tonti  were  placed  in  the 
middle  of  this  fortified  post. 


60 


X) 


61 


FURTHER  FRENCH  OCCUPATION. 

After  La  Salle's  party  arrived  among  the  tribes  near 
Peoria  in  1680,  the  building  of  a  new  vessel  was  started 
for  the  Mississippi  river  voyage  but  on  account  of  the 
lack  of  certain  articles  necessary  for  its  construction  La 
Salle  went  to  the  settlements  in  Canada  and  left  Tonti  in 
charge  with  instructions  to  move  the  fort  farther  up. 
About  this  time  troubles  were  going  on  between  the  Iro- 
quois  and  the  Illinois.  Tonti  left  while  La  Salle  was  away 
and  when  La  Salle  reached  Creve  Coeur  again  he  found 
it  abandoned.  He  continued  and  reached  the  Mississippi 
in  December,  1680,  but  went  back  to  the  Miami  country 
in  1681,  from  where  he  crossed  back  into  the  Illinois  coun- 
try and  hearing  of  Tonti  went  and  found  him  at  Mack- 
inaw on  the  Lakes.  The  following  year  La  Salle  went 
west  again.  This  was  his  third  attempt.  He  and  his 
companions  went  down  the  Illinois  in  canoes.  The  vessel 
at  Creve  Coeur  was  not  yet  built  and  in  fact  it  was  never 
finished.  On  February  sixth,  La  Salle  and  his  compan- 
ions were  again  on  the  Mississippi  river.  They  went 
down  its  current  until  they  reached  its  mouth  on 
April  ninth,  1682,  and  setting  up  a  cross  on  that  day 
took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  Louis 
XIV  and  in  his  honor  called  the  country,  bordering  on 
the  stream  and  its  tributaries,  Louisiana.  This  Louisiana 
embraced  an  indefinite  scope  from  the  Gulf  to  the 
Lakes  or  to  where  the  indefinite  bounds  of  New 
France  extended ;  and  becoming  a  part  of  New  France  be- 


62 

came  subject  to  the  sway  of  the  French-Canadian  govern- 
ment. On  the  return  up  the  river  to  Arkansas,  La  Salle 
fell  sick  and  the  priest  Membre  stayed  with  him  while 
Tonti  went  ahead  to  report  the  news.  La  Salle  later  joined 
Tonti  at  St.  Ignace.  Then  Tonti  was  sent  to  found  a 
colony  in  the  Illinois  country  and  La  Salle  joined  him  and 
they  built  Fort  St.  Louis  (Le  Kocher)  at  the  "Starved 
Rock."a  La  Salle  was  commissioned  again  in  1683  and 
made  governor  of  Louisiana.  In  1685  his  expedition  by 
sea  landed  near  Matagorda  Bay  or  Galveston  Bay,  having 
missed  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  which  he  sought.  He 
searched  in  vain  and  was  assassinated  in  1687  near  Trin- 
ity river.  After  the  fort  was  built  at  "Starved  Rock," 
the  Indians  settled  their  villages  around  it  and  in  1684 
Tonti 's  party  and  these  friendly  Indians  repelled  an  attack 
upon  it  made  by  two  hundred  Iroquois.  Some  historians 
may  try  to  use  this  isolated  instance,  with  the  semblance 
of  victory,  as  testimony  in  favor  of  the  prowess  of  the 
Illinois  Indians,  but,  this  defense  can  hardly  be  cited  as 
more  than  a  scintilla  of  evidence  in  behalf  of  a  nation 
which  was  worsted  so  often  and  in  this  case  became  the 
beneficiaries  of  a  protective  European  influence  whose 
force  under  a  trained  leadership  achieved  the  result.  In 
1686  Tonti  went  with  forty  men  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
in  search  of  La  Salle.  It  has  been  conjectured  by 
some,  and  so  stated  by  historians,  who  relied  too  im- 
plicitly on  the  guesswork  of  others,  that  Tonti 's  fol- 
lowers during  this  search  or  on  their  return  settled 
the  villages  of  Cahokia  and  Kaskaskia  in  southern  Illinois. 
There  is  no  warrant  for  such  a  belief.  A  later  tripb 

a.  Parkman,  La  Salle  and  the  Disc,  of  the  Great  West,  294. 

b.  Mason's  reference  to    St.    Cosme's    Letter,    Breese,    Early 

Hist,  of  111.,  142  (note). 


63 

in  which  Tonti  took  a  part  or  acted  as  a  guide  may  have 
served  to  confuse  the  inference  on  this  head.  These 
stations,  in  their  present  locations,  were  not  in  existence 
until  about  the  year  1700.  This  date  is  the  nearest  ap- 
proach to  accuracy  that  can  be  given  as  stated  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter. 

In  1712  came  the  grant  to  Crozat.  In  the  letters- 
patent  granted  to  Anthony  Crozat  by  the  king  of  France 
dated  September  fourteenth,  1712,  reference  is  made  to 
the  commission  given  La  Salle  in  1683  by  which  he  was 
"to  undertake  a  discovery  of  the  countries  and  lands 
which  are  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  America  be- 
tween New  France  and  New  Mexico ' '  and  the  royal  decree 
expresses  a  belief,  based  on  the  success  of  La  Salle 's  enter- 
prise, that  communication  might  be  established  between 
New  France  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  by  means  of  the  riv- 
ers. Inasmuch  as  the  French  government  had  been  dis- 
tracted by  the  war  in  Europe,  there  had  been  no  chance 
to  continue  these  enterprises  and  hence  the  matter  re- 
mained in  abeyance  until  a  more  favorable  time — until  it 
was  decided  to  make  this  grant  to  Crozat.  In  these 
letters-patent  the  country  is  officially  called  Louisiana. 
Crozat  is  granted  the  commerce  of  the  country  for  fifteen 
years  and  the  territory  in  which  he  is  to  carry  on  trade 
is  described  as  bounded  by  New  Mexico  on  the  one  hand 
and  the  English  Carolina  on  the  other.  The  grant  em- 
braced various  rivers,  particularly  the  Mississippi  from 
the  sea  as  far  as  the  Illinois  country,  the  Ohio  and  the 
Missouri,  with  the  minor  tributaries  of  these  great 
streams,  with  whatever  bordered  along  their  courses; 
thereby  confirming  the  claim  of  France  laid  to 
this  country  which  extended  from  the  Gulf  to  New 
France.  The  articles  provided  that  all  of  the  afore- 


64 

said  be  under  the  name  of  the  government  of  Louisiana 
and  be  subordinate  to  the  general  government  in  New 
France,  providing  further  that  all  the  lands  derived  from 
the  Illinois  be  united  with  the  general  government  of  New 
France  whenever  required,  with  the  right  to  enlarge  the 
government  of  Louisiana  whenever  deemed  fit.  These 
letters  also  carried  with  them  permission  to  mine  and  hunt 
for  precious  stones;  and' further,  the  property  right  was 
given  him  to  all  factories  which  he  might  erect  and  to 
lands  which  he  might  cause  to  be  cultivated.  The  customs 
of  Paris  were  to  become  the  law  for  the  guidance  of  this 
new  province  of  Louisiana.  Provision  was  made  upon 
what  terms  he  might  enjoy  these  privileges.  The  forego- 
ing privileges  were  the  principal  ones  embraced  in  the 
grant  except  that  it  provided  that  if  he  deemed  it  proper 
for  the  culture  of  his  plantations  he  might  employ  blacks 
and  for  this  purpose  might  send  a  ship  every  year  to  trade 
for  them  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  and  in  turn  might  sell 
them  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Louisiana  colony.  Crozat, 
being  disappointed  in  the  pursuit  of  mineral  treasure,  af- 
ter nearly  five  years  of  prospecting,  willingly  surrendered 
his  rights  under  this  patent  in  1717.  Although  the  search 
for  mineral  treasure  proved  somewhat  disappointing,  yet, 
the  energy  employed  during  these  adventures,  the  influx  of 
migration  and  the  stimulus  given  to  primitive  trade,  serv- 
ed to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  early  time  settlements, 
which  a  few  years  thereafter  became  centers  of  trade  and 
population.  Although  Laws'  organization  of  the  Company 
of  the  West  or  Royal  India  Company,  with  property  rights 
in  the  soil  of  Louisiana,  ended  in  failure  with  the  explosion 
of  what  was  known  as  "The  Mississippi  Scheme"  yet 

during  the 


65 

life  of  these  grants  beginnings  were  made  which  served  as 
foundations  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  Louisiana  country. 

Although  Crozat  had  not  realized  his  expectations,  it 
was  decided  by  a  council  of  state  at  Versailles  that  the 
colony  of  Louisiana  should  be  continued  and  as  it  was  the 
opinion  of  this  council  that  the  undertaking  was  too  great 
for  any  individual  enterprise,  they  concluded  to  give  the 
administration  to  a  company  and  this  resulted  in  the  crea- 
tion of  the  Western  Company  or  Royal  India  Company. 
The  charter  of  this  company  was  given  its  force  by  the 
French  Parliament  September  sixth,  1717.a  Prior  to  this 
time  the  settlers  had  held  title  to  their  lots  and  gardens 
and  farms  and  pasture  lands  through  Indian  grants  and 
possession  and  actual  cultivation  and  occupation  of  the 
soil  but  thenceforth  a  more  definite  system  was  inaugu- 
rated and  yet  one  which  in  after  years  became  a  source  of 
much  troublesome  litigation  on  account  of  its  inadequacy 
when  put  to  the  test,  though  it  served  its  purpose  in  its 
own  time. 

This  Royal  India  Company  made  many  grants  of  land 
to  applicants  for  the  purposes  of  cultivation.  The 
earliest  records  go  back  as  far  as  1722  and  were  made 
by  Boisbriant,  the  first  commandant  in  Illinois,  on  be- 
half of  the  king  and  the  Royal  India  Company  by  Des 
Ursins,  the  principal  commissary.  One  of  the  largest 
grants  was  made  June  fourteenth,  1723,  to  Philip  Fran- 
cois Renault,b  Director-General  of  the  company's  min- 
ing explorations.  He  was  given  a  league  square  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  present  county  of  Monroe  and 
about  fourteen  thousand  acres  at  Peoria. 

a.  Gayarre,  History  of  Louisiana,  Vol.  I,  192. 

b.  It  is  stated  in  connection    with    these   mining    operational 

that   Renault   brought  "fly«  hundred  slaves." 


66 

The  early  French  settlers  settled  in  villages.  Around 
their  houses  they  enclosed  a  lot  of  ground  which  they  used 
for  garden  and  stable  purposes.  Their  farms  extended 
from  the  villages  out  over  the  adjacent  prairie  or  bottom 
lands  and  were  narrow  strips  which  extended  from  the 
villages  to  the  river  or  creek  on  the  one  side  and  the  bluffs 
on  the  other.  The  inhabitants  thus  lived  in  communities 
which  afforded  mutual  protection  while  at  home  and  also 
while  working  in  their  fields.  These  farms  were  known 
as  "The  Common  Fields."  In  addition  to  this  there  was 
a  "Common"  which  furnished  them  in  common  with  pas- 
turage and  fuel.  On  June  twenty-second,  1722,  these  in- 
dividual and  common  rights  were  confirmed  to  the  inhabi- 
tants by  Boisbriant,  the  king's  lieutenant  of  Louisiana, 
and  by  Des  Ursins  for  the  Royal  India  Company.  Bois- 
briant, who  was  second  in  official  rank  in  the  Louisiana 
government  by  virtue  of  his  station,  was  the  commandant 
of  the  Illinois  portion  of  the  country  until  he  was  called 
to  the  post  of  acting  governor  when  Bienville  the  gov- 
ernor was  called  to  France.  Under  Bienville  as  governor 
the  planting  of  New  Orleans  was  set  on  foot  in  1718.  The 
population  of  Louisiana  then  was  about  fifteen  hundred. 
Following  the  planting  of  New  Orleans  in  1718  came  the 
planting  of  Fort  Chartres  in  the  Illinois  country  and  in 
1719  the  village  of  St.  Phillipe  upon  what  became  the 
Renault  grant  within  a  few  miles  of  the  fort  and  also  the 
village  of  Ste.  Anne  near  the  fort.  On  a  tract  containing 
several  thousand  acres  granted  to  Boisbriant  the  village 
of  Prairie  du  Rocher  commenced. 

In  1721  when  Charlevoix  visited  the   Kaskaskia    and 


67 

Fort  Chartres  region,  in  a  letter  of  that  time  written  by 
him,  he  has  the  following  to  say:  "The  French  are  here 
pretty  much  at  their  Ease.  A  Fleming,  a  Servant  of  the 
Jesuits,  has  taught  them  how  to  sow  Wheat,3-  and  it 
thrives  very  well.  They  have  some  Horned  Cattle  and 
Fowls."  He  also  speaks  well  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
Illinois  Indians  cultivate  the  lands  and  mentions  that 
their  wives  spin  Buffalo's  wool  and  make  it  into  gowns 
which  they  sew  together  "with  the  Thread  made  of  the 
Sinews  of  Roe-Bucks." 

When  Bienville  was  called  to  France,  Boisbriant  as- 
sumed the  post  of  acting  governor  of  Louisiana  and  Des 
Liettes  became  commandant  of  the  Illinois  country  until 
he  was  succeeded  by  St.  Ange  de  Belle  Rive  in  1730  who 
maintained  the  post  till  1734.  In  1732  however  the  Royal 
India  Company  surrendered  its  privileges  to  the  crown 
and  a  new  government  was  instituted  for  Louisiana  which 
took  it  from  New  France  and  included  Illinois  as  a  de- 
pendency. After  the  surrender  of  the  patent  of  the 
Royal  India  Company  and  the  consolidation  of  the  Illinois 
country  with  the  Louisiana  province  came  a  new  order  of 
government.  Over  the  province  there  was  appointed  (by 
the  king)  a  governor,  an  intendant  and  a  royal  council. 
The  governor  had  power  to  appoint  a  commandant  over 
the  Illinois  country.  Now  followed  the  regime  of  the 
French  commandants. 

D'Artaguetteb  1734-36 

De  La  Buissonierec 1736-40 

St.  Glair  1740-43 

a.  Charlevoix     293. — Census     1900     111.     produced     19,795,500 

bushels. 

b.  Wounded,  captured  and  burned  to  death  with  companions 

in  expedition  against  Chickasaws  in  Mississippi. 

c.  Also  led  a  Chickasaw  expedition. 


68 

De  Bertel  1743-49 

St.  Clair  1749-51 

Makartya 1751-60 

Neyon  de  Villiers .1760-64 

St.  Ange  de  Belle  Rive 1764-65 

These  commandants  ruled  till  1765  when  after  the 
French-Indian  war  under  the  treaty  between  France  and 
England  the  Illinois  country  was  transferred  to  the  British. 
The  Illinois  country,  as  it  had  been  known  all  along  up  to 
this  time,  (on  account  of  it  having  been  the  country  of  the 
Illinois  Indians)  was  a  part  of  the  French  possessions 
known  as  Louisiana  for  eighty-three  years  from  1682  till 
1765.  During  the  French  regime  other  settlements  sprang 
up.  Across  the  Mississippi  river  in  1764  St.  Louis  and 
Ste.  Genevieve  began ;  on  this  side  in  1760  Prairie  du  Pont 
commenced  near  Cahokia  (which  place  then  had  a  mill  for 
corn  and  planks)  while  in  the  north  were  the  Wisconsin 
and  lake  region  settlements.  A  considerable  trade  was 
carried  on  between  these  settlements. 

As  the  regime  of  the  commandants  was  largely  in  the 
nature  of  the  administration  of  affairs  in  a  military  way, 
a  judge  was  also  appointed  by  the  authorities  in  New  Or- 
leans who  was  to  exercise  a  sort  of  supervision  over  the 
business  affairs  of  this  dependency.  If  he  had  any  exten- 
sive judicial  powers  granted  him  they  seem  never  to  have 
been  exercised  to  any  greater  extent  than  to  keep  a  general 
oversight  over  the  civil  officer  who  was  stationed  part 
of  the  time  at  Kaskaskia  and  part  of  the  time  at  Fort 

a.    Fort  Chartres  was  rebuilt,  improved  and  enlarged  under 
Makarty's  Administration. 


69 

Chartres  or  the  village  of  New  Chartres.  This  civil  officer 
appears  to  have  been  a  sort  of  prothonotary  or  as  he  de- 
scribes himself  "a  registrar  of  the  bench."  He  kept  a 
register  in  the  French  language  which  is  still  in  existence 
belonging  to  the  archives  of  St.  Clair  County .a  The 
entries  cover  a  period  from  1737  to  1769  and  it  is  called 
"Registre  des  Insinuations  des  Donations  aux  Siege  des 
Illinois."  It  is  a  record  of  gifts  by  will,  marriage  con- 
tracts and  the  like.  At  the  end  of  each  year  there  ap- 
pears subjoined  an  act  of  approval  by  a  representative  of 
the  marine  department  and  the  civil  bench.  The  register 
is  interesting  in  the  way  of  showing  that  there  appeared 
before  the  local  functionary  inhabitants  of  Cahokia,  Can- 
ada, Fort  Chartres,  Kaskaskia,  Ste.  Genevieve,  St.  Louis, 
St.  Phillipe,  Vincennes.  It  also  shows  the  existence  and 
status  of  slavery  in  the  early  days  in  Illinois.  The  slaves 
were  negroes  and  Indians.  As  samples  among  the  many 
recitals  on  this  point  it  appears  that  in  1751  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bourbonnais  gave  to  Pierre  Aubuchon,  who  was  their  son- 
in-law,  an  old  negro  slave,  who,  in  the  language  of  the 
transfer,  could  only  do  the  ordinary  kitchen  work  and 
chores.  In  1755  Francois  Lacroix  gave  his  property  to 
his  children  on  condition  that  they  maintain  him.  His 
slaves  are  enumerated  as  one  Indian  man,  two  Indian 
women,  and  one  little  Indian  girl  aged  seven  years.  The 
last  entries  in  the  book  are  of  instruments  dated  in  June, 
1768. 

a.  When  the  original  St.  Clair  County  was  divided  into  St. 
Clair  and  Randolph  counties,  in  tthe  division  of  the  papers 
and  records  this  register,  which  is  bound  in  hog-hide, 
was  allowed  to  remain  in  St.  Clair  County.  A  fuller  de- 
scription appears  by  author  in  Trans,  of  111.  State  Hist. 
Soc.  1901,  63-66. 


70 

To  furnish  a  satisfactory  and  accurate  presentation  of 
the  regime  of  the  French  commandants  in  Illinois  is  a 
somewhat  difficult  undertaking,  as  the  material  bearing 
on  the  subject  necessarily  must  be  gathered  from  scatter- 
ed sources.  From  various  early  time  records  hints  may 
be  gathered.  Margry's  collections  of  general  data  per- 
taining to  French  affairs  in  America  are  of  great  use- 
fulness, while  the  work  of  Wallace  on  "Illinois  and 
Louisiana  under  French  rule"  is  a  valuable  contribution 
to  this  branch  of  research.  The  different  histories  on 
Louisiana  are  helpful  aids,  notably  the  writings  of  Gay- 
arre.  In  the  custody  of  the  Missouri  Historical  Society 
in  St.  Louis  is  a  valuable  manuscript  on  "Fort  Chartres" 
and  its  commandants  by  Oscar  W.  Collet  which  shows 
much  research  and  presents  a  collection  of  desirable  his- 
torical material  concerning  the  period  of  French  occupa- 
tion of  the  Illinois  country.  A  very  erudite  paper  by  Mrs. 
Mathew  T.  Scott  on  "Old  Fort  Massac"  published  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Illinois  State  Historical  Society  for 
1903  contains  a  list  of  the  commandants,  the  correct- 
ness of  which  is  certainly  as  close  a  chronological  arrange- 
ment as  it  is  practicable  to  obtain.  From  these  sources 
are  derived  the  indices  on  which  our  information  depends 
with  reference  to  the  sway  of  the  French  commandants 
in  the  Illinois  country. 


72 


73 


ENGLAND. 

Prior  to  the  treaty  of  Paris  of  1763  France  had  by 
secret  treaty  in  1762  conveyed  to  Spain  her  claim  to  Louis- 
iana west  of  the  Mississippi  river ;  so  that  when  possession 
was  taken  by  the  English  in  1765  their  claim  was  limited 
to  the  eastern  portion.  The  treaty  of  Paris  was  made 
February  tenth,  1763.  It  transferred  everything  east  of 
the  Mississippi  and  north  of  Iberville.  Under  this  the 
actual  transfer  was  made  October  tenth,  1765,  when  St. 
Ange  de  Belle  Hive,  the  last  French  commandant,  deliver- 
ed Fort  Chartres  to  Captain  Sterling  and  a  company  of 
Highlanders. 

In  1768  Colonel  Wilkins  arrived  in  Kaskaskia  on  Sep- 
tember fifth  by  the  order  of  General  Gage  and  establish- 
ed a  court  of  seven  judges  with  monthly  sessions  at 
Fort  Chartres.  This  was  the  first  real  legal  machinery 
set  in  motion  in  Illinois.  It  superseded  the  military  tri- 
bunal existing  theretofore;  though  it  was  not  popular 
on  account  of  the  lack  of  trial  by  jury.  On  account  of 
changed  conditions  many  of  the  French  moved  away  and 
crossed  the  Mississippi  river.  During  this  English  occupa- 
tion Pontiac  was  assassinated  at  Cahokia  in  1769.  This 
led  to  the  Indian  war  which  almost  exterminated  the  Illi- 
nois. Pontiac  had  fought  on  the  side  of  the  French  dur- 
ing the  French-Indian  War  and,  foreseeing  that  the  tide 
of  white  immigration  would  engulf  his  own  race  unless  re- 
sisted, he  formed  most  of  the  western  tribes  into  a 
great  confederacy  for  the  purpose  of  offering  resistance. 


74 

This  is  called  in  history  the  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac  though 
in  reality  it  was  but  a  defense  of  native  rights.  For  four 
years  he  held  at  bay  the  sweep  of  English  migration  to  the 
westward  but  finally  succumbed  against  superior  odds. 
His  management  of  this  campaign  stamps  him  as  the  great- 
est character  in  the  history  of  the  aboriginal  race.  He 
remained  friendly  to  the  French  to  his  latest  years.  In 
his  last  year  he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  visited  his  friend 
Chouteau.  During  this  visit  he  heard  of  a  ball  in  Caho- 
kia  and  he  determined  to  visit  his  French  friends  in  this 
village.  It  was  during  his  stay  in  this  village  that  a  cor- 
rupt conspiracy  was  formed  by  an  English  trader  to  en- 
compass his  destruction.  The  trader  bought  a  half-breed 
Peoria  Indian  with  a  barrel  of  rum  to  carry  out  the  de- 
signs of  the  conspiracy.  The  Illinois  country  was  then 
occupied  by  the  English.  After  Pontiac 's  assassination 
he  was  sent  to  St.  Louis  and  buried  near  the  fort ;  near  the 
site  of  the  present  Southern  Hotel,  in  whose  lobby  a  tablet 
to  his  memory  was  placed  on  one  of  the  walls  in  1900  by 
the  St.  Louis  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Eevolution.a 

In  1772  on  account  of  the  encroachments  of  the  river 
the  government  headquarters  were  moved  from  Fort  Char- 
tres  to  Kaskaskia.  Here  Rocheblave  was  in  possession 
when  captured  by  Clark.  Under  the  conquest  of  the 
Northwest  in  1778  and  its  acquisition  by  Virginia  the  Illi- 
nois country  became  Virginian. 

a.    Pontiac  was  born  in  1710.      Assassinated  1769. 


7t> 


77 


FORT  CHARTRES  AND  THE  CONQUEST  OF  THE 
NORTHWEST. 

The  importance  of  Illinois  was  recognized  immediately 
upon  its  discovery.  The  Mississippi  river,  the  great  cen- 
tral water-way  of  North  America,  bounding  it  on  the  west, 
connected  with  the  Ohio,  which  furnished  communication 
with  the  east  and  bounding  it  on  the  southeast,  the  great 
Chain  of  Lakes  to  the  northeast,  furnishing  an  avenue  to 
the  Atlantic  Ocean,  gave  Illinois  a  central  and  command- 
ing position,  which,  coupled  with  its  own  inland  streams, 
its  fertile  soil  and  its  mineral  substrata  made  it  the  key  to 
dominion  in  North  America  for  any  power  that  might  be 
fortunate  enough  to  come  into  possession  of  this  favored 
tract  of  territory,  which,  by  nature,  seems  to  be  designed 
to  be  as  much  the  political  heart  of  a  great  nation  as  the 
human  heart  is  the  dominant  factor  in  the  physical  organ- 
ism of  man.  The  French,  therefore,  seized  upon  the  op- 
portunity after  its  discovery  to  form  settlements  around 
the  mission  stations  and  to  build  forts  to  protect  them- 
selves, not  alone  against  the  movements  of  the  native 
tribes,  but,  also  to  better  enable  them  to  retain  a  firm 
hold  on  their  possession.  In  addition  to  the  small  forts, 
one  was  projected  in  an  advantageous  position  to  become 
in  time  the  controlling  center  for  their  dominion  in 
this  country.  The  site  selected  was  in  the  present 
county  of  Randolph,  four  miles  to  the  west  of  what 
is  now  Prairie  du  Rocher  and  near  the  Mississippi 
river.  It  was  selected  in  1718  by  Boisbriant  and 


78 

when  completed  was  a  wooden  stockade  surrounding  the 
interior  earthworks.  Later  it  was  ordered  rebuilt  of  stone 
and  a  new  structure  about  a  mile  above  the  old  fort  and 
near  the  river  was  made  according  to  a  plan  of  the  engi- 
neer Jean  Baptiste  Saussiera  in  1751.  It  covered  about 
four  acres  of  ground.  The  walls,  which  were  sixteen  feet 
high,  were  two  and  a  half  feet  thick  at  the  base.  Within 
this  enclosure  were  barracks,  stables,  store-rooms,  officers' 
quarters  and  magazines.13  It  is  estimated  that  from  time 
to  time  a  million  dollars  were  spent  on  this  immense  forti- 
fication. Few  vestiges  of  this  fort  are  now  left.  The 
foundation  of  the  wall  may  still  be  plainly  traced  amid 
the  growth  of  weeds,  brier  and  timber,  and  also  the  founda- 
tions of  some  of  the  larger  buildings.  Two  of  the  wells 
are  still  in  existence  and  a  powder  magazine  in  the  north- 
eastern portion  made  of  solid  masonry  is  preserved  almost 
intact  to  this  day.  In  1772  through  encroachments  of  the 
river  the  fort  was  abandoned  as  it  was  considered  un- 
tenable on  account  of  the  crumbling  of  one  of  its  walls. 
The  headquarters  were  then  moved  to  Kaskaskia. 

The  importance  of  Illinois  was  likewise  recognized  by 
the  English  for  after  its  transfer  to  England  they  con- 
tinued to  garrison  Fort  Chartres  until  the  removal  of  their 
headquarters  to  Kaskaskia. 

During  the  war  of  the  American  Revolution  a  young 
Virginian  who  had  done  military  duty  among  the  frontier 
settlements  of  Kentucky,  which  was  then  a  part  of  Virginia, 
recognizing  the  importance  of  the  Illinois  country,  con- 

a.  Dr.  Snyder  says  this  was  original  spelling  of  name. 

b.  Snyder,  Capt.  John  Baptiste  Saucier,  29. 


79 

ceived  the  idea  that  he  could  best  serve  the  cause  of  Ameri- 
can Independence  by  aiming  a  blow  at  the  British  power 
in  the  west.  He  had  virtually  been  in  command  for  Virginia 
in  the  Kentucky  region  during  the  year  1777  and  it  was 
then  that  he  projected  the  plan  to  capture  the  French 
settlements  in  the  Illinois  country  and  pursuant  to  this 
aim  he  enlisted  the  good  offices  of  Patrick  Henry,  the  gov- 
ernor of  Virginia,  from  whom  he  received  a  commission 
and  instructions  which  should  enable  him  to  carry  out  his 
intentions.  The  expedition  which  was  organized  resulted 
in  the  capture  of  Kaskaskia  with  Rocheblave  its  British 
commandant  as  well  as  the  military  posts  at  Cahokia  and 
Vincennes.a  The  capture  of  Kaskaskia  was  accomplished 
first  and  as  if  complying  not  alone  with  the  intent  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  but  also  as  if  it  had  been 
designed  by  the  Fates  that  the  anniversary,  in  its  an- 
nouncement, should  be  celebrated  by  some  substantial 
fruition,  this  capture  was  effected  on  the  night  of  the 
fourth  of  July,  1778.  This  was  done  by  George  Rogers 
Clark  and  his  little  army  of  "  a  little  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred" men.b 

a.  Father  Pierre  Gibault,  Charles  Gratiot  and  Francois  Vigo 

deserve  honorable  mention  for  services  rendered  in  the 
Revolutionary  cause  through  supplies  contributed  to  aid 
the  soldiers  and  further  the  making  of  Indian  treaties. 

b.  Clark's  letter  to  Mason  in  English,  Conquest  of  the  N.  W., 

Vol.  1,  437. 


82 


83 


VIRGINIA  AND  THE  COUNTY  OF  ILLINOIS.3 

Through  the  conquest  by  Clark,  which  was  as  decisive 
a  step  in  the  war  of  the  Eevolution  as  was  the  breaking 
of  the  backbone  of  the  Confederacy  at  Vicksburg  during 
our  Civil  War,  the  dominion  to  the  Northwest  passed  to 
Virginia,  carrying  Illinois  with  it  as  a  part  thereof.  The 
legislature  of  Virginia  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Clark, 
his  officers  and  men,  erecting  the  Illinois  country  into  "the 
county  of  Illinois  "b  and  appointing  John  Todd  as  the 
county  commandant.0  He  had  seen  service  on  the  fron- 
tiers during  the  Revolutionary  war  and  was  thoroughly 
well  adapted  for  the  position.  His  commission  may  be 
found  entered  up  in  Todd's  Record  or  Minute  Book  now 
in  the  quarters  of  the  Chicago  Historical  Society.  This 
Minute  Book  was  found  in  the  court  house  at  Chester.3 
The  commission  was  issued  by  Patrick  Henry,  the  Governor 
of  Virginia.  It  contained  very  full  instructions  on  how 
the  county  commandant  was  to  deal  with  his  surround- 

a.  "The    county  of  Illinois"    it    would    seem    was    meant    to 

embrace  the  whole  Northwest,  viz.:       Ohio,   Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, Michigan  and  Wisconsin. 

b.  This  legislative  provision  applied  to  the  citizens   "on  the 

Western  side  of  the  Ohio. ' 
Moses,  111.  Hist,  and  Stat.,  Vol.  I,  159. 

c.  Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.,  7. 

English,  Conquest  of  the  N.  W.,  Vol.  I,  249. 

d.  Mason,  111.  in  the  18th  Cent,  51. 


84 

ings  and  above  all  breathes  that  spirit  of  liberty  with 
which  the  air  of  the  New  Continent  was  laden.  The  com- 
mandant was  counselled  "to  cultivate  and  conciliate  the 
affections  of  the  French  and  Indians ; "  "to  advise  with 
the  most  intelligent  and  upright  persons"  that  might  come 
in  his  way  (particularly  Colonel  Clark) ;  to  watch  hostile 
movements  and  to  co-operate  in  a  military  way  with 
Clark  or  troops  that  might  be  sent  from  Virginia ;  "  to  in- 
culcate on  the  people  the  value  of  liberty;"  "to  see  that 
the  inhabitants  have  justice  administered  to  them  for  any 
injury  received  from  the  troops;"  to  "punish  every  at- 
tempt to  violate  the  property  of  the  Indians ; "  to  cultivate 
the  Spanish  commandant  near  Kaskaskia  and  to  see  that 
Eocheblave  's  wife  and  family  did  not  suffer.  These  were 
the  principal  injunctions.  Beyond  this  the  Governor 
showed  his  faith  in  his  appointee  by  reciting  the  following 
in  the  commission:  "Act  according  to  the  best  of  your 
judgment  in  cases  where  these  instructions  are  silent  and 
the  laws  have  not  otherwise  directed."  A  popular  gov- 
ernment began  its  era  in  the  county  of  Illinois  and  the 
people  were  allowed  to  elect  judges  for  their  primitive 
courts  who  functioned  at  Cahokia,  Kaskaskia  and  Prairie 
du  Rocher.  Then  came  an  influx  of  settlers  from  Vir- 
ginia. In  1781  came  Bond,  Garrison,  Kidd,  Moore,  Pig- 
gott  and  Rutherford  and  settled  near  the  Belle  Fontaine 
(Beautiful  Fountain)  in  what  is  now  Monroe  County;  and 
either  on  account  of  this  immigration  or  the  fact  that  the 
territory  on  the  Missouri  side  of  the  Mississippi  river  was 
then  Spanish  territory,  the  low  tract  of  land  extending 
from  Alton  to  Chester  and  from  the  river  to  the  bluffs  was 
called  the  American  Bottom.a 

a.     American  Bottom.     See  page  42.     (Note.) 


85 

Todd  fell  in  the  battle  of  Blue  Licks  August  nineteenth, 
1782.  After  this,  a  Lieutenant-Commandant  par  interim 
functioned  for  a  while  in  a  perfunctory  way,  but,  from  the 
cession  by  Virginia  to  the  United  States  of  the  Northwest 
in  1784,  to  the  establishment  of  the  St.  Clair  government, 
or  rather  the  creation  of  St.  Clair  County  in  1790,  there 
was  not  much  systematic  administration  of  governmental 
affairs  in  Illinois. 


89 


UNITED  STATES— NORTHWEST  TERRITORY. 

After  the  acquisition  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  as 
stated  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  by  act  of  September  sixth,  1780,  recommend- 
ed cessions  to  the  United  States,  of  claims  on  the  part  of 
the  several  states3-  holding  the  same  ' '  to  waste  and  unap- 
propriated lands  in  the  western  country"  ''for  the  com- 
mon benefit  of  the  Union"  and  in  pursuance  thereto,  on 
January  second,  1781,  Virginia  made  a  cession  of  her  claim 
to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  to  which  Congress 
stipulated  certain  terms,  by  an  act  of  September  thirteenth, 
1783,  on  which  the  United  States  would  agree  to  accept  the 
cession.  Following  these  preliminaries  came  an  act  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia  of  December  twentieth,  1783, 
by  which  authority  was  given  to  the  delegates  of  that 
state  in  Congress  to  convey  to  the  United  States  the 
rights  of  that  Commonwealth  to  the  territory  acquired  by 
it.  The  main  conditions  of  this  transfer  provided  in  sub- 
stance that  the  territory  should  be  formed  into  states  in 
due  course  of  time  and  when  admitted  as  members  of 
the  Federal  Union  that  they  should  enjoy  "rights  of  sov- 
ereignty, freedom  and  independence"  common  to  all  the 
states.  "That  the  French  and  Canadian  Inhabitants,  and 

a.  In  1785  Massachusetts  ceded  from  42  degrees  2  minutes  to 
43  degrees,  43  minutes  and  12  seconds  north  latitude, 
west  of  New  York  to  the  Mississippi. 

In  1786  Connecticut  ceded  from  41  degrees  to  42  degrees  2 
minutes  north  latitude,  west  of  Pennsylvania  to  the 
Mississippi. 


90 

other  settlers  of  the  Kaskaskies,  St.  Vincents,  and  the 
neighboring  villages,  who  have  professed  themselves  citi- 
zens of  Virginia,  shall  have  their  possessions  confirmed 
to  them,  and  be  protected  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  rights 
and  liberties."  And  that  a  grant  of  land  should  be  made 
to  Clark  and  his  officers  and  soldiers.  In  pursuance  of 
all  of  the  foregoing  a  deed  of  cession  on  March  first,  1784, 
was  made  by  the  delegates  of  Virginia,  Thomas  Jefferson, 
Samuel  Hardy,  Arthur  Lee  and  James  Monroe,  to  the 
United  States  by  which  the  Virginia  title  passed  to  the 
tract  of  country  "  lying  and  being  to  the  northwest  of  the 
river  Ohio." 

By  the  act  of  Congress  of  July  thirteenth,  1787,  called 
the  "Ordinance  of  1787,"  for  the  government  of  this 
territory,  provision  was  made  with  reference  to  inher- 
itances, descents,  wills,  conveyances,  transfers,  sales,  etc., 
saving,  however,  again  to  the  French  and  Canadian  In- 
habitants their  laws  and  customs.  The  ordinance  pro- 
vided for  a  Governor,  a  secretary  and  a  court  of  three 
judges.  The  Governor  and  judges,  or  a  majority,  had 
the  power  of  making  laws  subject  to  disapproval  by  Con- 
gress until  a  General  Assembly  should  be  organized  and 
then  the  legislature  was  given  power  to  make  alterations. 
The  Governor  was  also  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  militia. 
Before  the  organization  of  the  legislature,  he  could  also 
appoint  such  officers  as  were  necessary  to  preserve  peace 
and  good  order.  Afterward,  the  legislature  was  to  make 
regulations.  The  Governor  was  given  power  to  lay  out 
counties  and  townships  subject  to  alteration  afterward  by 
the  legislature.  The  ordinance  prescribed  the  mode  of 
electing  representatives  and  their  qualifications.  It  also 
made  provision  for  the  organization  of  a  General  Assem- 
bly. Not  less 


91 

than  three  nor  more  than  five  states  were  to  be  formed  in 
this  territory,  and  the  boundaries,  as  soon  as  Virginia 
should  consent  to  modify  her  cession,  were  to  be  fixed  as 
follows:  "The  western  state  in  the  said  territory  shall 
be  bounded  by  the  Mississippi,  the  Ohio  and  the  Wabash 
rivers;  a  direct  line  drawn  from  the  Wabash  and  Post 
Vincents,  due  north,  to  the  territorial  line  between  the 
United  States  and  Canada ;  and  by  the  said  territorial  line 
to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  and  Mississippi.  The  middle 
state  shall  be  bounded  by  the  said  direct  line,  the  Wabash 
from  Post  Vincents  to  the  Ohio,  by  the  Ohio,  by  a  direct 
line  drawn  due  north  from  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami 
to  the  said  territorial  line,  and  by  said  territorial  line. 
The  eastern  state  shall  be  bounded  by  the  last  mentioned 
direct  line,  the  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  said  terri- 
torial line;  Provided,  however,  and  it  is  further  under- 
stood and  declared,  that  the  boundaries  of  these  three 
states  shall  be  subject  so  far  to  be  altered,  that,  if  Con- 
gress shall  hereafter  find  it  expedient,  they  shall  have  au- 
thority to  form  one  or  two  states  in  that  part  of  the  said 
territory  which  lies  north  of  an  east  and  west  line  drawn 
through  the  southerly  bend  or  extreme  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan. ' '  It  was  also  further  provided  that  there  should  be 
"neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude"  except  as  a 
punishment  for  crimes,  providing,  however,  for  the  return 
of  fugitives  to  the  original  states  where  such  labor  or  ser- 
vice could  be  lawfully  claimed.  This  latter  provision 
was  the  distinguishing  feature  of  the  ordinance,  which  in 
after  years  led  to  the  making  of  so  much  history  on  the 
subject  of  African  slavery  and  which  resulted  in  making 
Illinois  a  prominent  factor  in  the  ultimate  settlement  of 
the  question  as  subsequent  events  show. 


92 

A  most  important  article  in  the  ordinance  was  to  this 
effect:  "Religion,  morality  and  knowledge  being  neces- 
sary to  good  government  and  the.  happiness  of  mankind, 
schools  and  the  means  of  education  shall  forever  be  en- 
couraged." On  this  foundation  is  built  the  splendid 
system  of  education  which  is  being  maintained  in  the 
Northwest  and  which  has  certainly  placed  Illinois  in  the 
forefront. 

On  the  seventh  of  July,  1786,  Congress  stated  certain 
reasons  why  the  foregoing  division  of  this  territory 
"would  be  attended  with  many  inconveniences"  and  rec- 
ommended a  revision  so  as  to  allow  such  division  into 
states  "not  more  than  five  nor  less  than  three  in  number, 
as  the  situation  of  that  country  and  future  circumstances 
might  require,"  to  which  Virginia  assented  by  act  of 
December  thirtieth,  1788. 

On  February  first,  1788,  General  Arthur  St.  Clair  was 
appointed  Governor  of  this  new  territory.  After  the  re- 
vision of  the  ordinance  of  1787  and  its  acceptance  by  Vir- 
ginia, St.  Clair  was  reappointed  in  1789.  Although  born 
in  Scotland,  he  served  in  the  French  and  Indian  "War  and 
the  Revolution  and  was  in  public  life  so  much  that  he  be- 
came identified  with  the  interests  of  the  new  world  to  that 
extent  which  made  his  appointment  as  appropriate  as  if 
he  had  been  to  the  "manor  born." 

The  seat  of  territorial  government  was  placed  at  Mari- 
etta (Ohio).  Under  the  power  conferred  by  the  ordinance 
of  1787  on  the  Governor,  the  county  of  Washington  (in 
Ohio)  was  the  first  county  organized  and  then  the  county 
of  Hamilton  (also  in  Ohio)  followed.  In  the  spring  of 

1790,  the  Governor 


94 


«*. 


95 

came  to  the  Illinois  country  and  established  a  county  and 
appointed  officers  to  attend  to  its  affairs.  This  county 
was  named  after  himself.  It  was  the  first  county  erected 
within  the  confines  of  the  territory  embraced  within  the 
present  limits  of  Illinois  and  its  extent  covered  about  one 
third  of  the  area  of  our  state.  The  proclamation3-  estab- 
lishing this  county  fixed  its  boundaries  as  follows : 

"Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  little  Michilmakinack 
river,  running  thence  southerly  in  a  direct  line  to  the 
mouth  of  the  little  river  above  Fort  Massac  upon  the  Ohio 
river;  thence  with  the  said  river  to  its  junction  with  the 
Mississippi ;  thence  up  the  Mississippi  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Illinois  river,  and  so  up  Illinois  river  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning, with  all  the  adjacent  islands  of  said  rivers,  Illinois 
and  Mississippi. ' ' 

The  date  of  this  proclamation  was  April  twenty-sev- 
enth, 1790.  The  population  of  Illinois,  at  that  time,  was 
about  two  thousand  in  round  numbers. 

In  the  year  of  the  organization  of  this  county,  a  belief 
in  witchcraftb  being  still  prevalent,  two  negroes  were 
executed  for  witchery  at  Cahokia  as  mentioned  by  Gover- 
nor Reynolds.0  At  this  execution,  a  flock  of  crows  was 
observed  flying  over  the  scene  and  it  was  remarked  by  the 
assembly  that  the  spirits  of  the  witches  had  gone  into  the 
crows  and  had  taken  flight. 

In  1787,  James  Smith  of  Kentucky,  a  Baptist  preacher, 

a.  Book  A,  p.  1.    Recorder's  Office,  St.  Clair  Co.,  111. 

b.  Mason,  111.  in  the  18th  Cent.,  59. 

c.  Reynolds,   Pioneer  Hist,   of  111.,  143. 


96 

came  to  the  New  Design3-  settlement  in  Monroe  County 
and  his  arrival  meant  the  beginning  of  Protestantism  in 
Illinois,  which  in  1793  received  an  added  impulse  through 
the  arrival  of  Joseph  Lillard,  a  Methodist  missionary .b 

As  an  important  event,  not  alone  in  the  history  of  this 
territorial  period,  but,  important  in  the  history  of  the  state 
on  account  of  its  bearing  on  its  progress,  was  the  arrival 
of  "the  first  American  school  master."  Governor  Rey- 
nolds says  that  this  was  John  Seely,  who  came  in  1783  to 
the  New  Design.0 

In  1795,  the  county  of  St.  Glair  was  divided  and  the 
southern  portion  was  erected  into  Randolph  County,  while 
the  northern  part  remained  under  its  original  name.  This 
was  done  by  the  Proclamation  of  the  Governor  on  October 
fifth,  1795.  The  dividing  line  was  established  at  "Cove 
Spring,  a  little  south  of  the  New  Design,  and  running  from 
thence  due  east,  etc."  After  the  division,  these  two 
counties  remained  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Northwest  Territory  until  by  act  of  Con- 
gress of  May  seventh,  1800,  the  Northwest  Territory  was 
divided  into  two  parts.  The  one  part  shortly  afterward 
became  the  present  state  of  Ohio,  while  the  other  part 
was  erected  into  the  Indiana  Territory,  and  General  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison  was  appointed  as  Governor.  The  act 
provided  that  from  the  fourth  of  July,  1800,  the  territory 
northwest  of  the  Ohio  and  west  "of  the  line  beginning  at 
the  Ohio,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river, ' '  to  Fort 

a.  The  New  Design  Settlement  was  formed  in  the  neighbor- 

hood of  the  Belle  Fontaine  in  Monroe  County  by  Amer- 
ican   pioneer   immigrants    in  1782. 

b.  Cartwright,  167. 

c.  Reynolds,  Pioneer  Hist,  of  111.,  122. 


97 


LRRITORY 


99 


RANDOLPH    .\ 
COUNTY 


103 

» 

Recovery  and  north  to  Canada  should  be  the  Indiana  Ter- 
ritory. Illinois  as  a  part  of  this  tract  remained  subject 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Indiana  Territory  and  sent  its 
delegates  to  the  Indiana  territorial  legislature  at  Vin- 
cennes  until  the  act  of  Congress  of  February  third,  1809, 
divided  the  Indiana  Territory  into  two  separate  govern- 
ments, one  of  which  became  the  Territory  of  Illinois.  This 
Territory  of  Illinois,  which  was  created  to  commence  its 
existence  on  the  first  day  of  March,  1809,  embraced  the 
tract  "west  of  the  Wabash  river  and  a  direct  line  drawn 
from  the  said  Wabash  river  and  Post  Vineennes  due 
north"  to  Canada.  The  folio  whig  year  it  contained  a 
population  of  12,282  as  shown  by  the  census  of  1810. 

Soon  after  the  creation  of  this  territory,  namely,  on 
April  twenty-fourth,  1809,  Ninian  Edwards3-  was  ap- 
pointed as  its  Governor.  Governor  Edwards  was  born 
in  Maryland  in  1775.  He  became  a  lawyer  by  profession 
and  moved  to  Kentucky,  where  he  became  Chief  Justice  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals.  He  was  recommended  to  President 
Madison  by  Henry  Clay  for  Governor  of  the  Illinois  Terri- 
tory and  was  appointed  on  the  foregoing  date  and  again 
in  1812,  when  the  territory  was  raised  to  the  second  grade 
and  reappointed  from  time  to  time  until  the  admission  of 
the  state.  He  was  also  elected  as  one  of  the  first  United 
States  Senators  with  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  on  the  admission 
of  the  state  into  the  Union,  and  was  elected  its  Governor 
in  1826.  He  died  at  Belleville  July  twentieth,  1833.  The 
county  of  Edwards  was  named  after  him. 

The  earthquake  of  1811  mentioned  by  Reynolds13  was  an 

a.  Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.,   27. 

b.  Reynolds,   My   Own   Times,   125 


104 

event  of  considerable  physical  importance.  This  occurred 
on  the  night  of  November  sixteenth.  The  shocks  were  so 
severe  as  to  cause  great  fear  both  among  the  population 
and  the  cattle.  Through  the  American  Bottom,  chimneys 
were  thrown  down,  houses  were  cracked  and  the  bells  in 
the  churches  rang. 

In  1812,  Illinois  was  raised  to  a  territory  of  the  second 
grade  and  Gallatin,  Johnson  and  Madison  counties  were 
formed  on  September  fourteenth.3-  The  act  of  Congress 
of  May  second,  1812,  raising  the  territory  into  the  second 
grade,  provided  by  its  terms  for  an  extension  of  the  right 
of  suffrage  and  also  in  thus  raising  its  grade  gave 
to  the  territorial  legislature  unlimited  powers  of  legis- 
lation except  where  restrained  by  the  ordinance  of  1787. 
Following  this,  up  to  the  period  of  statehood,  our  civil 
history  is  mainly  noted  for  its  creation  of  new  civil  divis- 
ions in  the  shape  of  new  counties.  Edwardsb  County 
(named  after  the  Governor)  was  formed  November 
twenty-eighth,  1814;  "White0  County  on  December  fifth, 
1815;  Monroed  County  on  January  sixth,  1816;  Jackson6 
and  Popef  Counties  on  January  tenth,  1816;  Craw- 
ford8 County  on  December  thirty-first,  1816;  Bondh 

a.  By  Proclamation  of  Ninian  Edwards,  Governor  of  Illinois 

Territory.  See  Ter.  Rec.  of  111.  of  1809-1818,  edited  by 
Prof.  E.  J.  James  and  published  by  the  Illinois  State 
Hist.  Lib.  1901,  p.  26. 

b.  Ter.   Rec.   of  HI.   of  1809-1818,  p.  35. 

c.  Acts  of  1815-16,  p.     5. 

d.  Acts  of  1815-16,  p.  25. 

e.  Acts  of  1815-16,  p.  62. 

f.  Acts  of  1815-16,  p.  66. 

g.  Acts  of  1816-17,  p.  21. 
h.     Acts  of  1816-17,  p.  28. 


105 

County  on  January  fourth,  1817;  Franklin,3-  Unionb  and 
Washington0  Counties  on  January  second,  1818. 

During  this  time,  however,  the  progress  of  events  was 
somewhat  enlivened  by  the  first  appearance  of  steamboats 
in  the  west.d 

After  having  passed  through  its  various  vicissitudes 
and  changes  involving  different  occupants,  discoverers, 
claimants,  possessors  and  owners  to  which  were  added 
nine  years  of  its  own  individual  territorial  period,  Illinois 
finally,  one  hundred  and  forty-five  years  after  its  discov- 
ery by  white  men,  was  admitted  as  an  integral  part  of  the 
Union  and  granted  all  the  rights  of  sovereignty  pertaining 
to  each  of  the  members  of  our  great  sisterhood  of  states. 
It  .was  the  twenty-first  stateto  be  admitted.  A  new  design 
for  our  national  flag  had  been  adopted  some  time  previ- 
ously and  the  first  star  that  was  added  to  the  constellation 
on  the  field  of  azure  blue  was  the  star  of  Illinois. 

a.  Acts  of  1817-18,  p.  11. 

b.  Acts  of  1817-18,  p.  15. 

c.  Acts  of  1817-18,  p.  39. 

d.  Ford,  Hist,  of  111.,  96. 
Reynolds,  My  Own  Times,  177. 
Moses,  111.  Hist,  and  Stat,  Vol.  I,  389. 

For  descriptions  and  quotations  (except  St.  Clair  and 
Randolph  Counties)  see  Acts,  Ordinances,  Constitutions, 
Statutes  of  111. 


106 


THE  WAR  OF  1812. 

The  second  war  against  England  was  declared  on  June 
eighteenth,  1812,  on  the  recommendation  of  President 
Madison.  For  a  number  of  years  prior  thereto,  the  In- 
dians had  been  growing  more  and  more  hostile  towards 
the  American  inhabitants  and  settlers ;  desultory  murders 
and  depredations  had  been  committed  from  time  to  time 
until  finally  Tecumseh  made  an  effort  to  arouse  all  the 
tribes  of  the  Northwest  against  the  United  States.  Gen- 
eral Harrison,  with  an  army,  undertook  to  disperse  them 
at  the  Prophet's  Town  on  the  Wabash,  where  they  had 
assembled  in  great  numbers.  The  battle  of  Tippecanoe, 
coming  as  it  did  on  the  heels  of  former  hostilities,  was  an 
announcement  to  the  settlers  that  the  Indian  war  had  be- 
gun. And  then,  as  Governor  Reynolds  says:  "The 
United  States  Eangers  were  established  for  the  defense  of 
the  frontiers." 

During  the  war  of  1812,  at  the  instigation  of  British 
Indian  agents  and  traders,  many  barbarities  were  commit- 
ted by  the  Indians  in  Illinois.  In  every  settlement  and 
neighborhood  log  forts  were  erected  for  defensive  opera- 
tions. One  had  been  placed  on  the  site  of  Chicago  and  a 
little  garrison  stationed  at  Fort  Dearborn3-  under  Captain 
Heald,  under  orders,  evacuated  the  fort  on  August  fif- 
teenth, 1812,  and 

a.  Fort  Dearborn  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  Chicago  river 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Lake  Michigan,  and  was 
garrisoned  by  about  seventy  men. 


107 

with  the  women  and  the  children  marched  out,  but,  having 
gone  only  a  short  distance,  were  attacked  by  savages.  A 
combat  ensued  which  lasted  until  Heald's  force  was  con- 
siderably reduced,  when  the  Indians  withdrew  for  consul- 
tation, after  which  they  proposed  to  spare  the  lives  of  the 
survivors  if  they  surrendered.  Heald  and  his  remaining 
party  did  surrender  but  only  to  suffer  the  massacre  of  a 
considerable  part  of  their  number. 

Now  came  a  concerted  movement  to  stamp  out  the  In- 
dian uprising.  Governor  Edwards  prepared  an  expedition 
by  boat  and  by  land.  In  October  of  1812,  two  boats  were 
sent  up  the  Illinois  river  under  Captain  Craig,  while  the 
Governor,  with  a  force  of  four  or  five  hundred  men  under 
Colonel  Russell,  marched  for  the  headquarters  of  the  en- 
emy at  Peoria  in  the  vicinity  of  which  the  Indians  were 
established.  About  the  same  time,  General  Hopkins  with 
three  or  four  thousand  Kentucky  volunteers  left  Vincennes 
in  order  to  form  a  junction  with  Governor  Edwards. 
Hopkins  was  deceived  by  his  guides,  the  Indians  fired  the 
prairies,  and  he  was  compelled  to  retreat  and  hence  could 
not  form  a  junction  with  the  Illinois  troops.  Edwards 
waited,  but,  getting  no  reinforcements,  retired  to  hunt 
winter  quarters,  however,  destroying  the  Indian  villages 
which  lay  on  his  return  route.  Peoria  was  burned  be- 
cause Captain  Craig's  boats  had  been  fired  on  by  the  In- 
dians and  he  suspected  the  inhabitants  of  having  been  in 
the  conspiracy  with  the  Indians. 

In  1813,  another  campaign  was  undertaken  in  northern 
Illinois.  The  Illinois  troops  were  joined  by  a  force  from 
Missouri  and  together  they  marched  to  Peoria  where  they 
built  Fort  Clark  (named  in  honor  of  George  Kogers  Clark), 


108 

burned  Gomo  's  town  and  two  other  villages.  Part  of  the 
force  was  sent  up  the  Illinois  river,  while  a  part  was  sent 
to  scour  the  Rock  river  country  for  the  enemy ;  and  the 
Indians  fled  before  their  advance.  A  small  force  was 
left  in  Fort  Clark  and  late  in  the  fall  of  1813  the  little 
army  returned  to  Camp  Russella  from  where  it  started. 
At  the  end  of  the  war  Fort  Clark  was  abandoned  by  the 
Americans  and  shortly  after  was  burned  by  the  Indians. 

In  1814  Major  Campbell  went  to  Rock  Island  with  a 
force  in  boats  and  had  an  engagement  with  the  Sac  and 
Fox  Indians.  Later  in  the  same  year  Major  Zachary 
Taylor  (afterward  President  of  the  United  States)  also 
went  to  Rock  Island  with  a  force  in  boats  and  had  an  en- 
gagement with  the  Indians  and  British. 

Toward  the  end  of  1814  hostile  operations  began  to 
slacken  and  by  the  summer  of  1815  peace  was  restored  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  the  tribes  of  the  Northwest. 

As  bounties  to  the  soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812,  lands 
were  given  which  are  embraced  in  what  is  known  as  The 
Military  Tract,  which  extends  between  the  Mississippi  and 
Illinois  rivers  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  northward 
one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  miles.b 

a.  Established  in  1812  as  Military  Headquarters. 

b.  Stevens,  The  Black  Hawk  War,  77. 
References  for  foregoing  chapter: 

Beck,  Gazetteer  of  111.  and  Mo.,  55,  56,  111,  143. 
Brown,  Hist,  of  111.,  291  and  suite. 
Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.    (First  Part.) 
Peck,  Gazetteer  of  111.,  81,  87. 
Reynolds,  My  Own  Times,  128  and  suite. 
Reynolds,  Pioneer  Hist,  of  111.,  323  and  suite. 


109 


THE  STATE  OF  ILLINOIS. 

In  the  ordinance  of  1787  it  was  provided  with  refer- 
ence to  the  Northwest  Territory,  in  forming  it  into  states, 
that  there  should  be  "not  less  than  three,  nor  more  than 
five."  It  was  also  provided  that  "The  western  state  in 
the  said  territory  shall  be  bounded  by  the  Mississippi,  the 
Ohio  and  the  Wabash  rivers ;  a  direct  line  drawn  from  the 
Wabash  and  Post  Vincents,  due  north,  to  the  territorial 
line  between  the  United  States  and  Canada;  and  by  the 
said  territorial  line  to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  and  Missis- 
sippi. ' '  Declaring  further, ' '  that,  if  Congress  shall  here- 
after find  it  expedient,  they  shall  have  authority  to  form 
one  or  two  states  in  that  part  of  the  said  territory  which 
lies  north  of  an  east  and  west  line  drawn  through  the 
southerly  bend  or  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan. ' ' 

Under  this  ordinance,  if  the  original  boundaries  of  this 
western  state  had  been  allowed  to  remain,  the  state  of 
Illinois  would  have  embraced  also  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 
But,  Congress  found  it  "expedient"  to  erect  two  states 
out  of  this  territory  under  the  discretionary  powers  grant- 
ed by  the  ordinance.  In  1818,  a  petition  was  presented  to 
Congress  from  the  territorial  legislature  of  Illinois,  by  the 
territorial  delegate,  Nathaniel  Pope,  asking  for  admission 
as  a  state.  Through  the  efforts  of  Judge  Pope  an  act  of 
admission  was  passed  in  which  he  secured  the  extension  of 
the  northern  boundary  to  the  parallel  of  42°  30'  north 
latitude  instead  of  the  southerly  bend  of  Lake  Michigan. 


110 

Later,  a  controversy  arose  over  this  boundary  line  be- 
tween the  states  of  Wisconsin  and  Illinois,  which  ended 
favorably  to  our  state,  as  it  was  deemed  that  Congress 
had  a  right  to  exercise  this  power  under  the  clause  which 
made  the  matter  of  expediency  the  governing  feature. 
Through  the  work  of  Judge  Pope,  fourteen  of  the  north- 
ernmost counties  were  saved  to  us.  The  act  of  adjnission 
was  passed  April  eighteenth,  1818,  and  by  this  the  bound- 
aries were  fixed  as  follows:  "Beginning  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Wabash  river;  thence  up  the  same,  and  with  the  line 
of  Indiana,  to  the  northwest  corner  of  said  state;  thence 
east  with  the  line  of  the  same  state  to  the  middle  of  Lake 
Michigan;  thence  north  along  the  middle  of  said  lake,  to 
north  latitude  42°  30';  thence  west  to  the  middle  of  the 
Mississippi  river;  and  thence  down  along  the  middle  of 
that  river  to  its  confluence  with  the  Ohio  river ;  and  thence 
up  the  latter  river  along  its  northwestern  shore,  to  the  be- 
ginning." 

Following  this,  at  a  convention  held  in  Kaskaskia,  a 
state  constitution  was  adopted  on  the  twenty-sixth  of 
August,  1818,  which  was  ratified  by  Congress  on  December 
third  of  that  year,  and  Illinois  became  a  full  fledged  state 
on  that  date.  This  constitution  provided  the  foregoing 
boundaries  and  the  constitutions  of  1848  and  1870  have  re- 
tained them  since. 

Our  state  has  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  Indiana  on 
the  Wabash,  so  far  as  it  forms  a  common  boundary,  and 
concurrent  jurisdiction  on  the  Mississippi  with  the  states 
west  thereof,  so  far  as  it  forms  a  common  boundary,  and 
such  jurisdiction  on  the  Ohio  ' '  as  she  is  now  entitled  to,  or 

such 


Ill 

as  may  hereafter  be  agreed  upon  by  this  state  and  the  state 
of  Kentucky. ' ' 

The  act  of  Virginia  of  December  eighteenth,  1789, 
creating  the  state  of  Kentucky,  had  provided  with  refer- 
ence to  the  Ohio  river  as  follows :  ' '  The  use  and  naviga- 
tion of  the  river  Ohio,  so  far  as  the  territory  of  the  pro- 
posed state,  or  the  territory  which  shall  remain  within  the 
limits  of  this  commonwealth  lies  therein,  shall  be  free  and 
common  to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States.  And  the  re- 
spective jurisdictions  of  this  commonwealth  and  of  the 
proposed  state,  on  the  river  as  aforesaid,  shall  be  concur- 
rent only  with  the  states  which  may  possess  the  opposite 
shores  of  the  said  river." 

At  the  first  election  held  for  officers  of  the  new  state 
government,  Shadrach  Bond  was  elected  Governor.  He 
was  born  in  Maryland  in  1773  and  on  his  removal  in  1794 
to  Illinois,  settled  in  the  American  Bottom.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  territorial  legislature  and  also  a  territorial 
delegate  in  Congress.  He  died  in  1834.  A  monument 
has  been  erected  to  his  memory  in  the  cemetery  at  Chester, 
for  which  the  state  appropriated  $1500  in  1881. 

Pierre  Menard  became  the  first  Lieutenant-Governor. 
He  was  naturalized  not  more  than  a  year  before.  As  the 
constitution  required  a  citizenship  of  the  United  States  for 
thirty  years,  in  order  that  Menard  might  be  qualified  to 
hold  the  office,  it  was  provided  in  the  schedule  of  the  con- 
stitution as  follows : ' '  Any  person  of  30  years  of  age  who  is 
a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  has  resided  within  the 
limits  of  this  state  two  years  next  preceding  his  election, 
shall  be  eligible  to  the  office  of  lieutenant  governor,  any- 


112 

thing  in  section  13,  article  III,  of  this  constitution  con- 
tained, to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. ' '  And  through 
this  he  became  legally  qualified  to  hold  the  office  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor.  A  monument  was  erected  to  his  mem- 
ory on  the  State  House  grounds  at  Springfield  by  his 
friend  Chouteau  of  St.  Louis  in  1885. 

Within  the  foregoing  boundaries,  our  state  contains 
55,405  square  miles.  Its  extreme  length,  extending  from 
37°  to  42°  30'  north  latitude,  or  from  Cairo  to  Wisconsin, 
is  378  miles.  Its  extreme  width,  extending  from  87°  49" 
to  91°  28'  west  longitude  (Greenwich),  is  212  miles. 

As  early  as  the  year  of  the  admission  of  the  state,  an 
influx  of  German  immigration  began.  Koerner  mentions 
some  Swiss  families  that  were  here  in  1818.a 

a.     Koerner,   Das  Deutsche  Element,   245. 

For  descriptions  and  quotations,  see  Acts,  Ordinances,  Con- 
stitutions,    Statutes   of  111. 


113 


BOND  1818-1822. 

Shadrach  Bond  was  inaugurated  as  the  first  Governor 
of  Illinois  on  October  sixth,  1818,  The  capital  or  seat  of 
state  government  was  fixed  at  Kaskaskia  which  place  had 
been  the  seat  of  territorial  government.  New  counties 
were  formed  as  follows  during  the  year  1819,  namely: 
Alexander  County  on  March  fourth  ;a  Clark  County  on 
March  twenty-second;15  Jefferson  County  on  March 
twenty-sixth;0  "Wayne  County  on  March  twenty-sixth.3 
The  first  legislature  also  provided  for  the  removal  of  the 
capital  and  the  site  of  Vandalia  was  selected,  to  where  the 
government  was  moved  in  December,  1820.  At  the  time 
of  this  removal  the  state  contained  nineteen  counties  and 
a  population  of  55,211.e 

When  the  General  Assembly  met  at  Vandalia  in  the 
winter  of  1820  the  paramount  question  which  agitated  the 
minds  of  the  law-makers  related  to  the  incorporating 
of  a  state  'bank.  This  agitation  was  brought  about 
in  view  of  the  depressed  financial  condition  of  affairs, 
which  condition  had  been  produced  by  too  much  specula- 
tion and  over-stimulation.  This  bank  was  to  be  at  Van- 
dalia with  four  branches,  namely, 

a.  Act  of  1819,  p.  113. 

b.  Act  of  1819,  p.  166. 

c.  Act  of  1819,  'p.  267. 

d.  Act  of  1819,  p.  268. 

e.  U.  S.  Census. 

Beck,  Gaz.  of  111.  and  Mo.,  pub.  in  1823,  p.  56. 


114 

at  Brownsville,  Edwardsville,  Shawneetown  and  the  seat 
of  justice  for  Edwards  County .a  The  measure  passed 
successfully  through  the  General  Assembly.  If  its  subse- 
quent workings  had  been  equally  successful  it  would  have 
been  much  more  fortunate  for  the  public.  These  banks 
were  authorized  to  issue  their  notes,  bearing  a  small  rate 
of  interest  backed  by  the  credit  of  the  state,  and  these 
notes  were  to  be  loaned  to  the  people  on  personal  and  real 
estate  security.  This  scheme  caught  the  popular  favor,  as 
any  scheme  of  like  nature,  which  promises  relief  from  com- 
mercial distress  would  be  likely  to  do,  until  its  promises 
are  found  to  be  of  the  utmost  futility.  Hence,  at  first 
nearly  everybody  was  satisfied  because  nearly  everybody 
wanted  money  and  through  this  governmental  agency 
nearly  everybody  received  accommodations,  until  $300,- 
000  were  circulated  in  this  way.  As  there  seemed  to  be 
no  redemption,  depreciation  began  to  set  in.  As  the  se- 
curities furnished  by  the  borrowers  were  of  various  na- 
tures, collections  from  them  by  the  banks  were  extremely 
dilatory  and  doubtful;  and  as  change  became  scarce,  the 
fractional  parts  of  bills,  cut  in  pieces,  served  to  take  the 
place  thereof.  With  this  condition  of  things  it  can  be 
well  understood  why  these  issues  finally  depreciated 
until  it  took  three  dollars  to  pay  for  one.  It  may  be 
safely  estimated  that  in  the  course  of  five  years 
through  this  project,  the  state  was  the  loser  to  the 
extent  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars. 
It  is  refreshing  to  know,  however,  that  in  the  midst  of  the 
popular  clamor  a  few  sturdy  men  stood  out  boldly  for 
the  honor  and  financial  well-being  of  our  commonwealth. 

a.     Act  of  1821,  pp.  80,  144. 


115 

John  McLean,  who  was  then  speaker  of  the  Assembly, 
vigorously  battled  against  the  enactment  of  the  proposi- 
tion, and  although  beaten,  the  public  realized  his  worth  in 
after  years  to  the  extent  of  elevating  him  to  the  position 
of  a  United  States  Senator  and  his  memory  is  perpetuated 
in  the  name  of  the  county  of  McLean.  Pierre  Menard 
also  understood  the  fallacy  of  the  movement  and  when  a 
resolution  was  passed,  asking  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury to  accept  these  bills  for  public  lands,  whilst  the  pre- 
siding officer  of  the  Senate,  he  offered  to  wager  that  this 
would  never  be  done.  Menard  County,  on  which  he  im- 
pressed his  name,  may  be  particularly  proud  of  this  god- 
father, while  Illinois  at  the  present  day,  relieved  of  the 
dangers  of  a  return  to  this  sort  of  a  currency  system,  will 
revere  his  memory  while  gazing  with  pride  upon  his  statue 
in  the  grounds  of  the  Capitol. 

In  1821,  the  following  counties  were  formed,  namely: 
Lawrence  County  on  January  sixteenth  ;a  Greene  County 
on  January  twentieth;11  Sangamon  County  on  January 
thirtieth  ;c  Pike  County  on  January  thirty-first  ;d  Hamilton 
County  on  February  eighth;6  Montgomery  County  on 
February  twelfth  ;f  Fayette  County  on  February  four- 
teenth.s 

When  Pike  County  was  formed,  although  its  territorial 

a.  Act  of  1821,  p.  16. 

b.  Act  of  1821,  p.  26. 

c.  Act  of  1821,  p.  45. 

d.  Act  of  1821,  p.  59. 

e.  Act  of  1821,  p.  113. 

f.  Act  of  1821,  p.  142. 

g.  Act  of  1821,  p.  164. 


116 

extent  was  great,  yet,  its  population  was  sparse.  Beck 
wrote  in  1823  that  it  ''contains  between  7  and  800  inhabit- 
ants/'a  And  of  Chicago  he  wrote  as  of  "a  village  of 
Pike  County,  situated  on  Lake  Michigan,  at  the  mouth  of 
Chicago  creek.  It  contains  12  or  15  houses,  and  about  60 
or  70  inhabitants."15  The  original  boundaries  of  Pike 
County  were  as  follows:  "beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Illinois  river,  and  running  thence  up  the  middle  of  said 
river  to  the  fork  of  the  same,  thence  up  the  south  fork  of 
said  river  until  it  strikes  the  state  line  of  Indiana,  thence 
north  with  said  line  to  the  north  boundary  line  of  this 
state,  thence  west  with  said  line  to  the  west  boundary  line 
of  this  state,  and  thence  with  said  line  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning."0 Within  these  limits  it  embraced  about  one- 
third  of  the  state. 

A  law  of  February  twelfth,  1821,d  recited  "whereas 
Daniel  D.  Smith  has  prepared  for  engraving  a  map  of  this 
state,  the  publication  of  which  will  greatly  benefit  the 
people  of  said  state  and  others; — Therefore," — and  then 
forty  copies  were  authorized,  ten  of  which  were  for  the 
Secretary  of  State 's  office  for  the  use  of  the  General  Assem< 
bly  and  one  for  each  of  the  counties  of  the  state  to  be  kept 
in  the  circuit  clerk's  office  as  county  property  "for  the 
use  and  inspection  of  the  citizens. ' ' 

Some  doubts  have  been  expressed  by  some  historians  as 
to  whether  the  state  really  had  the  required  population 
at  the  time  of  its  admission;  The  congressional  action 

a.  Beck,  Gazetteer  of  111.  and  Mo.,  82. 

b.  Beck,  Gazetteer  of  111.  and  Mo.,  100. 

c.  Act  of  1821,   p.     59. 

d.  Act  of  1821,  p.   147. 


117 


AVILLAGE 

OF 
PIKE  COUNTY 


119 

taken  to  authorize  the  formation  of  a  state  government  re- 
quired forty  thousand  inhabitants  resident  in  the  terri- 
tory. As  the  census  brought  forth  the  required  number 
there  is  no  room  for  quibbling  on  this  subject.  The 
census  of  1820  and  Beck 's  Gazetteer  of  1823  show  that  the 
state  had  advanced  more  than  fifteen  thousand  beyond  the 
required  number  necessary  for  admission.  And  whatever 
surmises  may  have  arisen  have  long  since  been  merged  in 
the  subsequent  establishment  of  a  commonwealth  that  is 
second  to  none. 

A  very  important  act  of  this  period  was  that  of  March 
thirtieth,  1819,  entitled  "An  act  respecting  free  Negroes, 
Mulattoes,  Servants  and  Slaves.  "a  The  provisions  of  this 
act,  with  subsequent  supplemental  acts,  are  known  in  his- 
tory as  "The  Black  Laws." 

The  legislature  in  1821  passed  a  resolution  requesting 
concurrent  jurisdiction  of  the  Ohio  river.b 

In  the  year  1821  the  first  legal  execution  took  place  in 
this  state. 

a.  Act  of  1819,  p.  354  and  suite. 

b.  Act  of   1821,   p.   186. 


120 


THE  FIRST  LEGAL  EXECUTIONS 

As  the  result  of  what  was  intended  for  a  sham  duel, 
the  Grand  Jury,  at  a  special  term  of  Court  for  St.  Clair 
County  on  Monday,  March  the  eighth,  1819,  presented  a 
bill  of  indictment  against  Timothy  Bennett,  Jacob  Short 
and  Nathan  Fike.  Previous  thereto,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  assembling  of  a  large  number  of  people  in  Belleville, 
it  was  suggested  that  a  sham  duel  should  take  place  be- 
tween Alonzo  C.  Stuart  and  Timothy  Bennett.  It  seems 
that  every  one,  who  was  cognizant  of  the  intention  of  the 
affair,  understood  that  it  was  to  be  merely  a  hoax  for  the 
purpose  of  having  sport  with  Bennett.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, did  not  understand  the  nature  of  the  scheme  on  foot. 
The  parties  were  placed  at  a  distance  of  forty  yards  from 
each  other.  It  was  intended  that  the  weapons  should 
simply  be  charged  with  powder.  When  Bennett  fired  his 
rifle  it  lodged  a  ball  in  Stuart's  breast  which  killed  him. 
Fike  and  Short  had  acted  as  seconds  in  this  duel  in  the 
belief  that  it  was  to  be  a  sham  as  was  shown  on  the  trial 
of  their  case,  and  they  were  acquitted  by  a  jury  on  June 
seventeenth,  1819.  When  the  indictment  had  been  re- 
turned and  the  sheriff  was  ordered  to  bring  forth  the  body 
of  Bennett,  the  sheriff  made  the  following  return :  ' '  The 
within  named  Timothy  Bennett  has  made  his  escape 
by  breaking  the  jail  of  St.  Clair  County,  therefore 

a.    Reynolds,  My  Own  Times,  217,  and  suite. 

Affleck,  Trans.  State  Hist.  Soc.  111.,  1901,  p.  96. 


121 

1  cannot  bring  his  body  into  the  Court  as  I  am  com- 
manded. '  'a  Bennett  remained  out  of  the  state  until  1821, 
when  he  was  found  in  Missouri  and  brought  back  to  Belle- 
ville and  at  a  special  term  of  the  Circuit  Court  he  was 
tried  and  convicted  as  shown  by  the  record  of  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  July,  1821,  on  which  day  the  jury  before  whom 
he  was  tried  returned  its  verdict  of  guilty.  In  fixing  the 
date  for  the  execution,  after  sentence  "that  he  be  hanged 
by  the  neck  untill  he  be  dead"  had  been  pronounced,  it  ap- 
pears that  Saturday,  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  August,  was 
at  first  selected,  but  was  changed  to  Monday,  the  third  day 
of  September,  as  shown  by  pen  marks  drawn  through  the 
former  date.b  In  either  event,  he  was  not  ordered  to  be 
hanged  on  the  traditional  Friday.  There  were  present 
at  this  court,  John  Reynolds,  presiding  as  Judge,  William 
A.  Beard  as  Sheriff,  and  John  Hay  as  Clerk.  It  was  shown 
on  the  trial  that  Bennett  had  secretly  placed  a  ball  in  his 
rifle.  And  hence  he  expiated  his  crime  on  the  gallows  in 
accordance  with  the  order  of  the  court. 

a.  Record  B.  139  in  Circuit  Clerk's  office,  St.  Clair  Co. 

b.  Record  C.  224  in  Circuit  Clerk's  office,  St.  Clair  Co. 


122 


COLES  1822-1826. 

On  account  of  the  enactment  of  "The  Black  Laws"  in 
1819,  followed  by  the  national  agitation  in  1820  concern- 
ing the  admission  of  Missouri  as  a  free  or  slave  state,  it 
appears  that  during  his  gubernatorial  campaign,  the  slav- 
ery question  contributed  very  largely  to  Coles'  election. 
Although  elected,  it  was  by  a  plurality  only;  the  votes 
cast  for  him  having  been  vastly  in  a  minority  among  the 
number  cast.  Out  of  the  8,606  votes  polled,  he  received 
2,854.  Three  other  candidates  were  in  the  field  who  di- 
vided the  vote  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  possible  for 
Coles  to  succeed.  Of  these  candidates,  two  were  pro- 
nouncedly for  slavery,  while  Coles  was  considered,  in  one 
form  and  another,  anti-slavery.  This  question  had  been 
ever  present  since  the  introduction  of  slaves  by  Renault 
and  although  the  ordinance  of  1787  ought  to  have  pro- 
duced a  definite  settlement,  yet  the  various  interpreta- 
tions that  arose  from  time  to  time  continued  to  carry  the 
question  into  Illinois  history  after  it  entered  the  period  of 
its  statehood,  even  after  the  state  constitution  tried  to  dis- 
pose of  it  by  its  provision.  So  it  was  found  still  to  be 
a  live  issue  in  the  campaign  and  continued  to  vex  the 
course  of  affairs  during  Governor  Coles'  administration. 
The  Governor  added  fuel  in  his  inaugural  address  by  deal- 
ing directly  with  the  issue  and  making  certain  recommend- 
ations with  reference  thereto.  The  committee,  to  which  the 


123 

message  had  been  referred,  reported  a  lengthy  review 
which  was  strongly  pro-slavery,  and  recommended  the 
amending  of  our  constitution.  After  many  heated  sieges, 
the  legislature  of  1823  adopted  a  resolution  submitting  to 
the  voters  the  matter  of  amending  the  constitution.  Fol- 
lowing this  came  a  memorable  campaign  in  which  most  of 
the  leading  men  of  the  state  were  arrayed  against  the 
administration  and  which  convulsed  the  state  for  a  year 
and  a  half  and  which  forms  one  of  the  most  important 
links  in  the  great  chain  of  human  liberty.  When  the  polls 
closed  on  August  second,  1824,  it  was  found  that  there 
were  4,972  votes  for  the  convention  to  amend  the  constitu- 
tion and  6,640  against  the  same.a 

This  administration  was  also  harassed  by  unfortunate 
financial  conditions  produced  through  the  state  bank  sys- 
tem of  which  the  Governor  had  pointed  out  the  objection- 
able features  in  his  inaugural  message. 

In  his  inaugural  he  also  presented  the  importance  of 
a  great  water-way  through  Illinois,  from  the  Lakes  to  the 
Mississippi  river,  (which  Governor  Bond  had  also  done  in 
his  inaugural)  which  project  has  been  ever  since  in  course 
of  contemplation  and  which  though  advanced  to  some  de- 
gree in  the  building  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  and 
later,  the  digging  of  the  Chicago  Sanitary  Canal,  will 
never  be  thoroughly  realized  unless  the  national  govern- 
ment shall  aid  in  establishing  a  navigable  deep  water-way 

from  the 

a.     Ford,  Hist,  of  EL,   50. 

Reynolds,   My   Own   Times,   239. 
Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.,   192. 
Moses,  111.  Hist,  and  Stat.,  307. 


124 

Lakes  to  the  Gulf.  This  project  would  not  only  be  of 
immense  value  to  the  state,  which  is  the  heart  and  center 
of  the  nation,  but  in  its  far-reaching  effect  would  be  pro- 
ductive of  much  commerical  utility  to  every  section  of  the 
nation.  By  act  of  January  seventeenth,  1825,  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal  Company  was  incorporated.31 

During  the  year  1825.  La  Fayette,  during  his  tour  of 
the  United  States,  paid  our  state  a  visit  at  the  invitation 
of  the  legislature.  His  reception  took  place  at  Kaskaskia. 
He  had  visited  St.  Louis  and  made  the  trip  by  boat.  From 
there  he  visited  the  south  and  on  his  return  trip,  again 
visited  Illinois  by  making  a  stop  at  Shawneetown. 

In  spite  of  the  persistence  of  the  opposition  to  nearly 
all  of  the  measures  recommended  by  the  Governor  in  his 
inaugural  message,  he  found  a  laudable  support  in  one  re- 
spect which  found  its  fruition  in  the  law  relating  to  free 
schools  introduced  by  Joseph  Duncan,  who  was  then  a 
member  of  the  Senate,  and  later  became  one  of  the  Gov- 
ernors of  this  state.  This  act  for  the  establishment  of 
free  schools  was  passed  on  January  fifteenth,  1825.b 

During  this  administration  counties  were  formed  as 
follows : 

Edgar January    3,  1823.    Act  of  1823,  p.     74 

Marion "         24,     "  "  "  49 

Fulton "        28,     "          "  "  88 

Morgan "         31,     "  "  "          109 

Clay December  23,  1824.      "          1824,        18 

Clinton "        27,     "          "  "  28 

a.  Act  of  1825,   p.   160. 

b.  Act  of  1825,   p.   121. 


125 

Wabash December  27,  1824.     Act  of  1824,  p.  25 


Calhoun  .  . 

.  .  .January  10,  1825. 

1825,        65 

Adams  

-..;,*       "         13,     " 

93 

Hancock   ...    . 

...       "         13,    " 

93 

Henry   

13,     " 

94 

Knox   

...       "         13,    " 

94 

Mercer  

...       "         13,    " 

93 

Peoria   

...       "         13,    "           •' 

85 

Putnam  

...       "         13,    " 

94 

Schuyler  .  . 

...       "         13,    " 

93 

Warren  

...       "         13,    " 

93 

Vermilion  .  .    . 

...       "         18,  1826. 

1826,      50 

McDonough   .  . 

..       '•         25,    " 

76 

126 


EDWARDS  1826-1830. 

On  December  sixth,  1826,  Ninian  Edwards  was  inau- 
gurated as  the  third  Governor. 

The  banking  system  had  been  an  issue  in  the  campaign 
and  was  still  uppermost  in  the  public  mind.  Hence  the 
Governor  in  his  inaugural  among  other  things  made  refer- 
ence to  this  subject. 

The  slavery  question,  too,  although  it  had  received  a 
set-back  at  the  polls  in  1824,  nevertheless  occupied  the 
legislators  and  the  Black  Laws  were  reinforced  by  an  act 
of  February  second,  1827,  which  prohibited  negroes,  mu- 
lattoes  and  Indians  from  being  witnesses  against  whites. 
By  this  law  a  mulatto  was  defined  to  be  a  person  of  one- 
fourth  negro  blood.a  Also  a  law  of  January  seventeenth, 
1829,  provided  against  harboring  negroes.b 

The  first  session  of  the  legislature  provided  by  act  of 
February  fifteenth,  1827,c  that  as  soon  as  Congress  gave 
consent  for  the  sale  of  the  Saline  Reserves  they  were  to  be 
sold  and  part  of  the  proceeds  was  to  be  appropriated  for 
the  erection  of  a  penitentiary.  This  became  the  peniten- 
tiary at  Alton. 

A  school  act  was  adopted  February  seventeenth,  1827,a 

a.  Act  of  1827,  p.  320. 

b.  Act  of  1829,  p.  109. 

c.  Act  of  1827,  p.  353. 

d.  Act  of  1827,  p.  364. 


127 

amendatory  of  the  school  act  of  1825  providing  that  no 
person  should  be  taxed  for  school  purposes  without  con- 
sent, but  the  persons  residing  in  the  limits  of  a  school  dis- 
trict should  have  the  privilege  of  subscribing  for  the  sup- 
port and  establishment  of  the  school  and  the  rents  and 
profits  of  any  school  lands  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
township  were  to  be  assigned  and  appropriated  for  the  use 
of  the  school  under  the  superintendence  of  trustees. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  legislature  by  act  of  January 
twenty-second,  1829,a  the  policy  of  selling  school  lands 
was  inaugurated  for  the  purpose  of  loaning  the  proceeds 
to  the  state  to  meet  its  current  expenses.  This  act  pro- 
vided for  the  sale,  as  soon  as  Congress  should  assent,  of 
sections  sixteen  or  the  school  lands  in  each  township. 

The  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  Company  incorpora- 
tion act  was  repealed  on  January  twentieth,  1826,b  on  the 
ground  that  the  object  could  be  best  promoted  under  the 
direction  of  the  state.  Commissioners  to  settle  the  route 
of  the  canal  were  provided.  Congress  in  1827  had  grant- 
ed the  state  the  alternate  five  sections  on  both  sides  of  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  to  aid  its  construction.  And 
on  January  twenty-second,  1829,  an  act  provided  for  con- 
structing the  canal.0 

On  the  whole  the  affairs  of  this  administration  seem 
to  have  left  a  very  satisfactory  impression.  The  trend 
of  affairs  among  the  people  was  chiefly  marked  by  the 
awakening  of  an  interest  in  higher  educational  affairs. 

a.  Act  of  1829,  p.  150. 

b.  Act  of  1826,  p.  63. 

c.  Act  of  1829,  p.   14. 


128 

In  1827,  John  Mason  Peck,  a  Baptist  minister,  built  a 
two  story  frame  house,  which  he  called  ' '  The  Rock  Spring 
Theological  Seminary  and  High  School"  half  way  between 
the  present  cities  of  0 'Fallen  and  Lebanon.  This  pioneer 
beginning  has  since  developed  into  Shurtleff  College, 
which  is  situated  in  Upper  Alton. 

McKendree  College  sprang  into  being  three  miles  to 
the  east  of  Rock  Spring  where  it  still  retains  its  name  and 
existence  in  the  city  of  Lebanon. 

Illinois  College  was  one  of  the  educational  pioneers 
which  still  retains  its  name  and  existence  in  the  city  of 
Jacksonville. 

And  these  three  institutions  laid  the  foundation  for 
our  present  higher  education. 

The  census  for  the  closing  year  of  Edwards'  adminis- 
tration shows  that  the  population  of  the  state  had  in- 
creased to  157,445.  So  that  in  the  first  decade  of  its  ex- 
istence the  new  state  had  almost  trebled  in  population. 

During  this  administration  the  following  counties  were 
formed : 

Shelby January  23,  1827.     Act  of  1827,  p.  115 

Perry "         29,     "  "  "  110 

Tazewell "•      31,    "  "  "          113 

Jo  Daviess  ...  .February  17,     "  "  "  117 

Macoupin January  17,  1829.       "         1829,          26 

Macon "        19,    "  "  "  28 

As  part  of  that  series  of  Indian  depredations  which 
harassed  the  state  until  the  Black  Hawk  War  practically 
settled  the  Indian  difficulties,  may  be  mentioned  the  con- 


129 

stant  troubles  between  the  miners  around  the  Galena  min- 
ing district  and  the  Winnebagos,  which  have  been  dignified 
into  a  war  by  some  historians  and  which  may  be  accredited 
as  properly  to  the  history  of  Wisconsin  as  to  the  history 
of  our  state.  The  most  important  episode  which  oc- 
curred was  in  the  summer  of  1827  when  a  couple  of  keel- 
boats  on  the  Mississippi  were  attacked  somewhere  above 
Galena  near  Prairie  du  Chien  and  quite  a  lively  skirmish 
ensued  between  the  crews  and  the  Indians.  This  naval 
maneuvre  seems  to  have  been  about  all  there  was  of  the 
Winnebago  war.  The  soldiers  under  General  Atkinson 
who  went  into  the  heart  of  the  Winnebago  country  ended 
the  war  by  bringing  the  principal  chief  Red  Bird  and  six 
others  to  Prairie  du  Chien  and  confining  them  in  jail  where 
Red  Bird  died.  Black  Hawk,  although  of  the  Sacs,  was 
among  the  number  brought  in.  No  bill  was  found  against 
him,  however,  and  he  lived  to  cause  much  annoyance  later. 

a.     Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.,  218  and  suite. 


130 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SYSTEM. 

As  supplemental  to  that  part  of  the  foregoing  chapter 
which  bears  on  the  history  of  the  earlier  attempts  at  the 
establishment  of  places  of  instruction,  it  may  be  well  at 
this  juncture  to  trace  the  history  of  our  educational  sys- 
tem from  its  incipient  stage  to  its  present  development. 

The  ordinance  of  1787  contained  the  following  lan- 
guage: "Religion,  morality,  and  knowledge,  being  neces- 
sary to  good  government  and  the  happiness  of  mankind, 
schools  and  means  of  education  shall  forever  be  encour- 
aged." 

The  act  of  Congress  which  enabled  Illinois  to  prepare 
for  statehood,  provided  that  section  sixteen  in  every  town- 
ship should  be  ' '  For  the  use  of  schools. ' '  Also  that  five 
per  cent  of  the  net  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  land  by  Con- 
gress should  be  divided  by  devoting  two-fifths  thereof  to 
the  making  of  roads  and  the  balance  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  education.  One-sixth  of  this  balance  was  to  be 
used  for  a  university.  Also  an  entire  township,  to  be 
designated  by  the  President,  together  with  one  already 
reserved  for  the  purpose,  was  to  be  appropriated  for  the 
use  of  a  seminary.  Which  provisions  among  others  were 
accepted  by  Illinois  and  became  the  basis  for  our  school 
and  university  system. 

Shadrach  Bond,  our  first  Governor,  in  his  message 
recommended  the  building  of  a  "Seminary  of  learning." 


131 

In  1825,  Senator  Joseph  Duncan's  Free  School  acta 
was  passed  providing  for  local  and  state  taxation.  But 
the  temper  of  the  people  did  not  seem  to  be  quite  ready 
for  the  introduction  of  the  system,  so  that  for  a  while 
longer  the  history  of  education  is  but  the  recital  of  at- 
tempts made  to  employ  some  itinerant  school  master  to 
teach  what  they  called  in  the  language  of  the  day  "The 
three  R's."  It  was  not  until  the  effort  was  made  at  the 
establishment  of  the  early  time  colleges  that  a  decisive  im- 
pulse was  given  to  the  educational  movement. 

In  1827b  Duncan's  school  law  was  amended.  Rents 
and  profits  of  school  lands  were  devoted  to  school  pur- 
poses. In  1829  it  was  decided  to  inaugurate  a  policy  of 
selling  school  and  seminary  land  in  order  that  the  state 
might  borrow  the  proceeds  to  pay  its  running  expenses. 

The  law  of  1849  made  the  Secretary  of  State  ex-officio 
Superintendent  of  Schools.  And  this  led  to  the  law  of 
1854  by  which  the  office  of  State  Superintendent  was  es- 
tablished and  also  a  system  of  free  schools. 

The  law  of  February  eighteenth,  1857,  established  the 
first  State  Normal  University.  The  principal  purpose  ex- 
pressed was  ' '  To  qualify  teachers  for  the  common  schools 
of  the  state. ' '  It  was  located  at  what  is  now  Normal. 

By  the  constitution  of  1870,  the  State  Superintendent 
became  an  executive  officer  and  his  term  was  lengthened 
from  two  to  four  years.  This  constitution  gives  the  legis- 
lature power  to  "Provide  a  thorough  and  efficient  system 
of  free  schools,  whereby  all  children  of  this  State  may  re- 
ceive a  good  common  school  education." 

a.  See  ante,  p.  126. 

b.  See  ante,  pp.  128,   129. 


132 

Following  have  been  State  Superintendents : 

Ninian  W.  Edwards 1854 

William  H.  Powell 1857 

Newton  Bateman 1859 

Newton  Bateman 1861 

John  P.  Brooks 1863 

Newton  Bateman 1865 

Newton  Bateman 1867 

Newton  Bateman 1869 

Newton  Bateman 1871 

Samuel  W.  Etter 1875 

James  P.  Slade 1879 

Henry  Raab  1883 

Richard  Edwards  1887 

Henry  Raab 1891 

Samuel  Inglis 


,   „  _,  r 1895 

Joseph  H.  Freeman 

Alfred  Bayliss 1899 

Alfred  Bayliss 1903 

Following  are  the  State  Educational  Institutions: 

Northern  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  DeKalb. 

Eastern  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  Charleston. 

Western  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  Macomb. 

Illinois  State  Normal  University,  Normal. 

Southern  Illinois  Normal  University,  Carbondale. 

University  of  Illinois,  Urbana. 

111.  Inst.  for  Education  of  Blind,  Jacksonville. 

111.  Inst.  for  Education  of  Deaf  and  Dumb,  Jackson- 
ville. 


133 


REYNOLDS  AND  EWING  1830-1834. 

On  December  ninth,  1830,  John  Reynolds  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor.  In  his  inaugural  message  he  dealt 
with  but  few  subjects.  He  made  a  favorable  recommen- 
dation as  to  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan 
Canal.  Also  recommended  the  finishing  of  the  peniten- 
tiary at  Alton  and  that  a  final  disposition  be  made  of 
state  bank  affairs.  In  line  with  the  latter  recommenda- 
tion, the  legislature  authorized  the  state  to  borrow  $100,- 
000  with  which  to  redeem  an  outstanding  circulation  about 
to  fall  due. 

His  message  to  the  next  General  Assembly  was  also 
brief,  dealing  mainly  with  the  matter  of  improving  the 
harbor  of  Lake  Michigan  and  connecting  the  lake  with 
the  Illinois  river.  He  was  also  in  favor  of  the  establish- 
ment of  a  common  school  system  and  so  urged  in  this 
message. 

The  matter  of  building  railroads  began  to  receive  some 
attention  and  several  charters  of  incorporation  were 
granted. 

In  1834  Reynolds  was  elected  to  Congress  and  resigned 
as  Governor.  Zadoc  Casey  had  been  elected  Lieutenant- 
Governor  in  1830,  but  in  1832  was  elected  to  Congress  and 
William  L.  D.  Ewing  was  elected  President  pro  tern  of  the 
Senate  and  on  Reynolds'  resignation  on  November  seven- 
teenth, 1834,  (because  he  was  elected  to  Congress)  Ewing 
became  Governor. 


134 

During  this  administration  counties  were  formed  as 
follows : 

Coles December  25,  1830.     Act  of  1830,  p.  59 

McLean "         25,     "  "  "  57 

Cook January  15,  1831.       "          1831,       54 

La  Salle "         15,    "          ."  "          54 

Rock  Island February    9,     "  "  52 

Effingham "         15,     "  "  51 

Jasper 15,     "  "  50 

Champaign..   ..         "         20,1833,       "          1833,       28 
Iroquois "         26,    "  "  19 

Of  the  events  which  took  place  under  this  administra- 
tion the  one  which  has  received  most  attention  from  his- 
torians was  the  Black  Hawk  War. 


135 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 

The  Black  Hawk  War  grew  out  of  a  disagreement  over 
the  provisions  of  a  treaty  made  November  third,  1804,  be- 
tween the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  and  the  national  govern- 
ment. The  United  States  had  agreed  to  pay  these  tribes 
an  annuity  of  the  value  of  a  thousand  dollars  a  year  for 
which  the  Indians  ceded  their  lands  between  the  Wiscon- 
sin, Fox,  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers,  including  a  large 
portion  beyond  the  Mississippi  in  Missouri  also  in  the  ces- 
sion, retaining  to  the  Indians  the  right  to  live  and  hunt, 
however,  on  these  lands  so  long  as  they  belonged  to  the 
government. 

On  account  of  long-continued  frictions  between  the 
Indians  and  whites,  it  was  easy  to  arrive  at  a  misunder- 
standing on  the  subject  of  this  cession.  The  government 
had  caused  some  of  the  lands  to  be  surveyed  and  as  the 
purchasers  to  whom  they  were  afterwards  sold  settled  on 
them,  the  question  was  raised  by  Black  Hawk,  a  chief  of 
the  Sacs,  as  to  their  right  to  take  possession.  He  claimed 
that  the  treaty  of  1804  was  a  nullity  because  he  charged, 
in  effect,  that  the  Indians  who  had  made  it  at  St.  Louis 
with  General  Harrison  were  not  empowered  with  authority 
from  their  nation;  that  these  Indians  had  been  sent  to  St. 
Louis  to  look  after  some  others  who  had  been  arrested  for 
murder;  that  when  they  came  back  to  the  tribes  in  the 
Rock  river  country,  beyond  the  memory  of  a  big  spree, 

they  only 


136 

remembered  further,  in  a  somewhat  confused  way,  that 
they  had  sold  some  land.  It  was  on  this  pretext  that 
Black  Hawk  based  his  opposition  to  the  removal  of  his 
tribe.  On  account  of  collisions  occurring  between  the 
settlers  and  the  Indians,  Governor  Edwards  in  1828  asked 
for  the  expulsion  of  the  latter  and  in  1829  President  Jack- 
son issued  an  order  in  compliance  with  the  request.  The 
time  limit  in  which  they  were  to  move  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi was  to  be  April  first,  1830.  To  this  order  Keokuk, 
a  leader  of  one  of  the  Indian  factions,  counselled  acqui- 
escence but  Black  Hawk  was  obstinate.  With  his  bands, 
enforced  by  Winnebago  and  Pottawatomi  allies,  Black 
Hawk  began  his  raids  on  the  settlers.  These  appealed  to 
the  Governor  for  protection.  Reynolds  was  Governor  at 
the  time.  He  construed  the  Indian  conduct,  after  the 
order  of  expulsion,  as  an  invasion  of  the  state.  He  com- 
municated with  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  and 
with  General  Gaines  of  the  United  States  army,  with  a 
view  to  securing  the  defense  of  the  settlers  and  the  re- 
moval of  the  Indians.  General  Gaines  went  to  Kock  Island 
with  several  companies  of  regulars  and  the  Governor  issued 
a  call  for  seven  hundred  mounted  volunteers.  In  the 
early  part  of  June  of  the  year  1831,  the  volunteer  militia 
assembled  at  Beardstown  to  the  number  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred. The  populace  responded  with  such  alacrity  that 
the  number  called  for  was  more  than  doubled.  The  brig- 
ade was  commanded  by  Major-General  Joseph  Duncan. 
When  this  force  made  its  junction  with  the  regulars  on 
the  Mississippi  in  the  Rock  river  country  the  entire  army 
numbered  about  twenty-five  hundred  men.  This  force 
overawed  the  Indians,  who  withdrew  to  the  west  bank  of 

.         the  Mississippi. 


137 

When  General  Gaines  sent  notice  of  his  intention  to  follow 
the  Indians,  Black  Hawk  made  his  appearance  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army  and  entered  into  a  treaty  on  June 
thirtieth,  1831,  by  which  he  agreed  that  he  and  his  band 
would  not  come  to  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi  except 
by  permission.  But,  restless  under  the  advancing  tide  of 
white  migration  and  encouraged  in  his  resistance  thereto 
by  his  neighboring  tribes  and  allies,  Black  Hawk  came 
back  with  his  band  on  April  sixth,  1832.  On  April  six- 
teenth Governor  Keynolds  again  issued  a  call  for  volun- 
teers and  in  a  few  days  1,935  men  rendezvoused  at  Beards- 
town  ready  to  participate  and  co-operate  with  the  one 
thousand  regulars  in  the  impending  struggle  for  the  final 
removal  of  the  Indian  band,  whose  hostility  could  not 
otherwise  be  tamed,  from  the  soil  of  Illinois.  Brigadier- 
General  Samuel  Whiteside  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
volunteer  force.  The  Governor  accompanied  the  army  on 
its  line  of  march,  which  it  took  up  on  the  twenty-seventh 
of  April.  A  junction  was  again  effected  in  the  Rock  river 
country  with  the  regulars,  then  under  General  Henry  At- 
kinson. The  volunteers  were  to  proceed  ahead  up  the  Rock 
river,  while  the  regulars  were  to  follow  with  provisions. 
The  Prophet's  Town  was  set  on  fire  by  the  troops  and  the 
march  was  continued  to  Dixon.  Here  two  battalions  of 
volunteers  had  already  arrived  who  were  anxious  to  see 
service;  and  these  under  Major  Stillnaan  on  May  twelfth 
were  sent  on  a  spy  expedition  which  resulted  in  an  encoun- 
ter at  a  small  creek  which  is  now  known  as  "Stillman's 
Run."  Black  Hawk  poured  his  main  force  on  this  party, 
in  numbers  much  smaller  than  his,  and  drove  them  back  to 
Dixon.  The  next  morning  the  army  marched  to  the  place 


138 

of  disaster  but  found  that  the  Indians  had  gone.  They 
returned  to  Dixon  and  the  next  day  General  Atkinson  and 
the  regulars  came  up  with  the  provisions.  As  the  volun- 
teers had  been  away  from  their  homes  for  about  a  month, 
an  unwillingness  to  continue  in  the  service  began  to  seize 
many  of  them  and  so  after  marching  about  two  weeks 
longer,  they  were  discharged  on  their  arrival  at  Ottawa 
on  May  twenty-seventh. 

Under  another  call  two  thousand  more  volunteers  were 
raised  so  that  the  entire  volunteer  force  amounted  to  over 
three  thousand.  These  rendezvoused  on  June  fifteenth  at 
Beardstown  and  Hennepin  and  on  the  twentieth  began  to 
move  under  the  command  of  General  Atkinson  of  the  regu- 
lars until  the  forces  were  concentrated  at  Dixon  from 
where  subsequent  operations  started  and  the  hunt  for 
Black  Hawk  began.  These  operations  consisted  of 
marches  across  the  country,  desultory  engagements  with 
fragmentary  Indian  bands,  mixed  with  dissatisfaction  on 
the  part  of  the  troops  until  a  skirmish  took  place  on  the 
Wisconsin,  after  which  the  movement  of  the  army  was  di- 
rected towards  the  Mississippi,  where  a  considerable  en- 
gagement took  place  near  the  Bad  Axe  river,  in  which 
Black  Hawk  took  part,  but  from  where  he  escaped  with  a 
number  of  companions  and  fell  back  to  the  Wisconsin.  A 
number  of  Sioux  and  Winnebagos,  who  professed  friend- 
ship for  the  whites,  were  sent  after  him  and  his  compan- 
ions and  captured  them  up  on  the  Wisconsin  river  and  hav- 
ing brought  them  to  Prairie  du  Chien  to  the  Indian  agent, 
General  Taylor  ordered  them  taken  to  Rock  Island,  but  on 
their  arrival  on  account  of  the  cholera  they  were  taken 
to  Jefferson  Barracks  at  St.  Louis,  where  they  made  a 


139 

treaty  by  which  they  ceded  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Iowa. 
The  prisoners  were  held  as  hostages  as  a  guarantee  for 
the  good  behavior  of  the  rest  of  the  band.  They  were 
taken  to  Washington  and  met  General  Jackson,  who  was 
then  President.  They  were  ordered  to  Fortress  Monroe. 
On  June  fourth,  1833,  by  order  of  the  President,  they 
were  allowed  to  return  to  their  own  country  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  where  Black  Hawk  remained  until  he  died  in 
1838. 

On  August  fifteenth,  1832,  at  Dixon,  the  volunteer 
army  was  mustered  out. 

Every  Illinois  historian,  who  has  written  since  1832, 
has  treated  of  this  war  and  the  chapters  of  their  works 
bearing  on  this  subject  are  suggested  for  reference. 

Besides  these  there  are  works  devoted  particularly  and 
exclusively  to  this  historic  affair. 

"The  Sauks  and  the  Black  Hawk  War"  by  Armstrong 
was  published  in  1887  and  contains  over  seven  hundred 
pages  of  interesting  matter. 

"The  Black  Hawk  War"  by  Stevens  was  published  in 
1903.  It  contains  over  three  hundred  pages  and  is  a  very 
sound  presentation. 


DUNCAN   1834-1838. 

On  December  third,  1834,  Joseph  Duncan  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor.  His  inaugural  message  pressed  upon 
the  legislature  the  consideration  of  a  public  school  system 
and  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 
and  a  generaj  system  of  Internal  Improvements. 

During  this  administration,  in  spite  of  the  failure  of 
the  state  banking  system,  which  had  brought  so  many 
financial  collapses  a  few  years  before,  the  state  bank 
scheme  was  revived  by  the  creation  of  a  new  state  banka 
and  the  revival  of  the  charter  of  the  bank  at  Shawnee- 
town.b  History  repeated  itself  in  after  years  when  the 
collapse  of  both  these  banks  came  in  1842. 

The  agitation  for  the  removal  of  the  state  capital  had 
already  taken  place  during  the  previous  administration 
and  the  legislature  submitted  the  question  of  a  relocation 
to  the  people.  Alton,  Jacksonville,  Peoria,  Springfield 
and  Vandalia  were  in  the  contest,  but  neither  received  a 
majority.  At  the  legislative  session  on  February  twenty- 
fifth  a  bill  for  the  removal  was  passed  and  a  few  days 
later  both  houses  met  together  and  selected  the  location. 
On  the  fourth  ballot  Springfield  was  selected;  to  where 
the  seat  of  government  was  removed  in  1839. 

An  act  for  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 

a.  Act  of  1835,  p.   7. 

b.  Act  of  1835,  p.  15. 


141 

gan  Canal  was  passed  by  the  legislature  January  ninth, 
1836.a  The  Governor  was  empowered  with  authority  to 
negotiate  a  loan  of  $500,000  and  three  canal  commissioners 
were  provided  to  conduct  this  business  of  the  state.  The 
canal  was  to  commence  "at  or  near  the  town  of  Chicago" 
and  end  "near  the  mouth  of  little  Vermillion  in  La  Salle 
county."  This  canal  to  be  not  less  than  forty-five  feet 
wide  on  the  surface  and  thirty  feet  at  the  bottom  and  at 
least  four  feet  deep.  Ninety  feet  on  each  side  were  also 
reserved  to  be  used  in  case  it  became  necessary  to  enlarge. 
The  main  water  supply,  of  course,  was  to  be  from  Lake 
Michigan  but  the  commissioners  were  to  use  such  other 
sources  as  they  deemed  proper.  On  the  recommendation 
of  the  chief  engineer,  the  commissioners  decided  to  make 
the  canal  sixty  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  thirty-six  feet  at 
the  bottom  and  six  feet  in  depth.  In  1837,  the  year  after 
this  act  was  passed,  Peck  said  in  his  Gazetteer,  "The 
project  of  this  canal  is  a  vast  enterprise  for  so  young  a 
state,  but  truly  national  in  its  character,  and  will  consti- 
tute one  of  the  main  arteries  in  eastern  and  western  com- 
munication. '  'b 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  February,  1837,c  an  act  was 
passed  which  provided  for  a  "Board  of  Fund  Commission- 
ers" and  a  "Board  of  Commissioners  of  Public  Works" 
who  were  to  look  after  and  manage  the  system  of  internal 
improvements  which  was  to  be  undertaken  by  the  state, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 
which  had  its  own  board  provided  for.  The  scheme  of 

these  works  involved  a 

a.  Act  of  1836,   p.   145. 

b.  Peck,  Gazetteer  of  111.,  57. 

c.  Act  of  1837,  p.  121  and  suite. 


142 

matter  of  more  than  ten  millions  of  dollars.  It  embraced 
in  its  far-reaching  intentions  the  improvements  of  rivers, 
roads  and  railroads,  as  well  as  subsidies  to  counties  where 
no  road  or  canal  improvements  were  to  be  made.  Appro- 
priations were  made  as  follows : 

1.  For  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of 

the  Great  Wabash  river $    100,000 

2.  For  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of 

the  Illinois  river  west  of  the  third  Prin- 
cipal Meridian 100,000 

3.  For  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of 

the  Bock  river 100,000 

4.  For  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of 

the  Kaskaskia  river 50,000 

5.  For  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of 

the  Little  Wabash  river 50,000 

6.  For  the  great  western    mail    route  leading 

from  Vincennes  to  St.  Louis 250,000 

$30,000  on  that  part  between  Vincennes  and 
Lawrenceville,  commonly  called  the 
"purgatory  swamp." 

$15,000  on  the  Wabash  river  bottom  between 
the  Big  Muddy  and  the  main  river. 

$30,000  between  the  Bluffs  and  the  Missis- 
sippi river  in  St.  Clair  County. 

And  the  residue  in  bridging  and  repairing  as 
equally  as  practicable. 

7.  Kailroad  from  Cairo  to  Galena  via  Vandalia, 

Shelbyville,    Decatur,    Bloomington    and 
Savannah 3,500,000 


143 

8.  Railroad  from  Alton  to  Mount  Carmel  via 

Edwardsville,  Carlyle,  Salem,  Fairfield 
and  Albion,  with  divergencies  and  inter- 
sections   $1,600,000 

9.  The  northern  cross  railroad  from  Quincy 

to  Indiana  via  Columbus,  Clayton,  Mt. 
Sterling,  Meredosia,  Jacksonville,  Spring- 
field, Decatur,  Sidney  and  Danville 1,850,000 

10.  A  branch    of    the    central    railroad  com- 

mencing at  intersection  near  Shelbyville 
and  Hillsboro,  thence  via  Shelbyville, 
Charleston  and  Paris  to  state  line  in  gen- 
eral direction  for  Terre  Haute 650,000 

11.  Railroad  from  Peoria  to  Warsaw  via  Can- 

ton, Macomb  and  Carthage 700,000 

12.  Railroad  from  Lower  Alton  via  Upper  Al- 

ton and  Hillsboro  to  central  railroad. . . .      600,000 

13.  Railroad  from  Belleville  via  Lebanon  to  in- 

tersect railroad  from  Alton  to  Mt.  Carmel     150,000 

14.  Railroad  from  Bloomington  to  Mackinaw 

and  branches   350,000 

15.  For  counties  without  railroads  or  canals. .      200,000 
Although  Duncan  had  recommended  public  improve- 
ments, yet  when  the   matter   assumed   such   extravagant 
form,  he  refrained  from  giving  it  his  approval.      But  the 
legislature  passed  the  act  nevertheless. 


144 

The  impulse  toward  improvement  was  not  alone  in  the 
public  mind  but  private  enterprises  also  began  to  be  set 
on  foot.  Thus  was  formed  by  Ex-Goveronr  Reynolds  the 
project  of  a  plan  on  private  account  to  build  a  railroad 
which  may  justly  lay  claim  to  having  been  the  first  in  the 
Mississippi  valley  and  in  fact  in  the  entire  west.  This 
was  in  1837.a  It  ran  from  the  Mississippi  river,  from  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  East  St.  Louis,  eastward  across 
the  American  Bottom  for  about  six  miles  to  the  Bluffs. 
These  Bluffs  are  a  range  of  hills  full  of  coal  and  it  was  in 
order  to  connect  these  coal  fields  with  the  market  that 
this  pioneerb  western  road  was  built.  St.  Louis  on  the 
west  side  of  the  American  Bottom  and  across  the  river  was 
the  market  to  be  reached.  Reynolds  owned  a  vast  amount 
of  land  in  that  region  and  in  company  with  some  others  he 
undertook  the  construction  of  this  work  which  was  des- 
tined in  after  years  to  develope  the  great  coal  fields  of 
southern  Illinois.  Great  piles  were  driven  into  the  Grand 
Marais0  to  furnish  a  foundation  on  which  to  build  the 

track  over 

a.  Reynolds,   My  Own  Times,   503. 

b.  Col.  John  Thomas,  who  was  a  veteran  of  the  Black  Hawk 

war  and  who  lived  to  the  ripe  age  of  ninety- six,  some 
years  before  his  death  told  the  author  that  he  remem- 
bered the  internal  improvement  system  days  and  when 
the  Vincennes  and  St.  Louis  road  (great  western  mail 
route)  was  built,  he  took  a  contract,  and  while  at  work 
with  his  force  in  the  American  Bottom  in  the  fall  of 
1837,  the  building  of  Reynolds'  railroad  was  going  on  a 
few  miles  to  the  south.  , 

c.  Grand  Marais — Great  Marsh. 


145 

the  great  marsh  lying  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the  hills. 
For  a  while  horse  power  was  used.a  Later,  iron  rails  were 
sent  from  Pittsburg  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi. 
On  their  arrival,  holes  were  punched  into  them,  and  spikes 
were  made  by  the  early  time  blacksmiths  of  the  American 
Bottom.b 

Under  this  administration  the  following  counties  were 
f  opmed : 

Will January  12,  1836.     Act  of  1836,  p.  262 

Kane "         16,    "  "          273 

McHenry "         16,     "  "  273 

Ogle "         16,    "  "          274 

Whiteside "         16,    "  "  "          274 

Winnebago  ..   ..       "         16,     "  "  "  273 

Livingston   .    .  .February  27,  1837.       "  1837         83 

Bureau "         28,    "  "  "  93 

Cass March    3,     "  "  "  101 

Boone  "         4,     "  "  "  97 

DeKalb   "         4,    "  "  97 

Stephenson "         4,     "  "  "  97 

During  this  administration  there  took  place  an  event 
which  was  not  only  the  most  important  that  transpired  on 
the  soil  of  this  state,  but  is  possibly  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant events  in  the  history  of  the  universe.  This  was 
the  assassination  of  Lovejoy  on  November  seventh,  1837. 

a.  Ackerman,  Early  Illinois  Railroads,  13. 

b.  Chrisostomus  Boul,   a  very  aged  Frenchman,   who  was   a 

blacksmith  in  the  early  days,  told  the  author  that  he 
helped  to  punch  holes  and  make   spikes. 


146 


LOVE  JOY'S  ASSASSINATION. 

(From  Author's  Lecture  on  "The  Man  of  Illinois.") 
Although  in  point  of  time  the  commonwealth  of  Illi- 
nois cannot  compare  with  nations  into  whose  historic  seas 
a  thousand  rivers  of  antiquity  have  flowed,  yet,  in  point 
of  merit  it  can  compare  with  all  the  hoaryheaded  com- 
monwealths that  have  existed  since  creation's  dawn.  In 
fact,  although  its  civil  life  dates  back  but  little  more  than 
two  hundred  years,  yet  in  the  two  centuries  and  a  quarter 
since  the  first  white  man  landed  on  its  soil,  it  has  con- 
tributed a  galaxy  of  stars  pre-eminent  in  the  firmament  of 
human  greatness  and  has  produced  the  greatest  and  grand- 
est event  in  the  history  of  the  universe. 

Attempts  at  the  establishment  of  liberty  were  made  by 
nations  and  peoples  in  the  past ;  some  in  a  degree  were  suc- 
cessful ;  the  French  Revolution  obtained  a  more  just  dis- 
tribution of  property  rights;  the  American  Revolution 
established  a  more  just  distribution  of  personal  and  politi- 
cal rights ;  it  was  reserved,  however,  for  Illinois  to  become 
the  actual  birthplace  of  freedom  in  its  more  perfect  sense. 
La  Fayette  had  presented  to  the  Constituent  Assembly  of 
France  his  famous  Declaration  of  the  Rights  of  Man. 
Thomas  Jefferson  had  given  the  world  a  still  greater  chart 
in  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  But  the  rights  of 
man  and  independence  only  began  to  be  recognized  sixty 
years  later.  During  these  sixty  years  we  preached  the 

doctrine  of  the  Declara- 


147 

tion  that  there  * '  are  certain  inalienable  rights,  among  them 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness."  Yet,  during 
these  sixty  years  we  practiced  human  slavery,  both  white 
and  black.  The  blacks  had  their  bodies  held  in  bondage, 
while  the  whites  had  their  minds  held  in  fetters,  on  this 
and  other  subjects.  When  at  the  end  of  sixty  years,  a 
champion  came  for  both  white  and  black,  a  realization 
was  found  at  last  in  the  coming  of  the  fulfillment  of  the 
promises  contained  in  our  political  charter.  And  though 
this  champion  fell,  a  martyr  to  his  faith,  yet  from  his 
blood  there  sprang  the  seed  that  ripened  into  liberty  full 
grown  itself.  When  Love  joy  fell  below  the  base  of  Al- 
ton's bluff  in  1837,  the  flag  of  freedom  rose  on  every  cliff 
throughout  the  universe.  When  on  his  vision  fell  the 
curtain  of  the  night  of  death,  in  that  moment  dawned  the 
day  of  life  upon  his  fellow-men.  In  this  dawn  the  hand 
of  Fame  inscribed  upon  its  roll  the  martyr's  name  and  Al- 
ton as  his  place  of  death ;  inscribed  the  name  of  Liberty 
and  Alton  as  its  place  of  birth ;  and  then  it  placed  a  credit 
to  the  name  of  Illinois. 

Elijah  Parish  Love  joy  was  born  in  Maine  in  1802.  He 
began  life  with  a  century  that  was  freighted  with  weighty 
events  and  to  which  he  was  destined  to  contribute  the 
weightiest  of  all.  He  passed  his  infancy,  his  boyhood 
and  his  youth  in  his  native  pine  tree  state.  He 
breathed  its  pure  air  as  he  played  amid  the  ocean 
zephyrs  that  were  wafted  from  the  bay  of  old  Penob- 
scot ;  he  learned  his  first  lessons  near  the  crystal  waters 
of  the  Kennebec  and  later  he  came  with  honors  from 
a  school  of  the  region  of  his  own  nativity.  The  star  of 
empire  then  was  journeying  westward,  and  he  like  many 
others  followed.  The  star  began  to  shine  upon  the  val- 


148 

ley  of  the  Mississippi.  This  valley  was  his  destination. 
He  came  to  St.  Louis  and  became  connected  with  newspa- 
per work,  but,  decided  on  the  ministry  for  his  profession. 
And  although  his  father  had  been  a  Congregational  min- 
ister, he  allied  himself  with  the  Presbyterians.  He  went 
back  east  to  a  theological  seminary  but  in  less  than  two 
years  was  again  in  St.  Louis.  Here  a  religious  newspaper 
was  established  by  some  parties  and  he  was  given  its  man- 
agement. This  was  the  St.  Louis  Observer,  the  publica- 
tion of  which  was  commenced  toward  the  end  of  1833. 
For  quite  a  while  all  things  went  well  but  after  a  time 
editorials  began  to  appear  directed  against  slavery.  Mis- 
souri being  then  a  slave  state,  public  sentiment  immediate- 
ly became  aroused  against  the  author  and  while  the  tenor 
of  these  editorials  was  simply  in  favor  of  what  he  called 
' '  gradual  emancipation, ' '  yet  the  state  of  the  public  mind 
was  such  at  that  day  that  not  alone  did  the  slave-holders 
and  their  friends  and  partisans  meditate  violence,  but 
many  of  the  warmest  friends  and  supporters  of  Love  joy 
and  the  Observer  began  to  express  their  fears  of  the  re- 
sult ;  these  friends  even  going  so  far  as  to  communicate  to 
him  their  willingness  to  allow  this  subject  to  be  passed 
over  in  silence.  Having  simply  advocated  "gradual 
emancipation, ' '  in  which  as  he  further  admitted  and  insist- 
ed editorially  that  "the  rights  of  all  classes  of  our  citizens 
should  be  respected"  he  felt  of  course  that  popular  opinion 
in  the  shape  of  popular  menace  was  unreasonable  and  that 
the  timidity  of  friends  was  a  sign  of  the  instability  of 
their  characters.  He  knew  that  the  great  blot  upon  the 
Republic  could  only  be  erased  by  an  educated,  humane  and 
liberal  sentiment.  He  knew  that  this  point  could  only  be 


149 

reached  through  agitation.  And  knowing  then,  what  we 
all  know  and  admit  now,  that  within  the  law  he  had  a 
right  to  propose  a  redress  for  what  he  conceived  to  be  a 
grievance,  Lovejoy  certainly  felt  that  the  opposition  to  his 
agitation  meant  a  curtailment  of  constitutional  rights.  In 
fact,  he  could  feel  nothing  less  in  view  of  the  expressed 
provision  in  the  constitution  of  Missouri  which  said  * '  that 
every  person  may  freely  speak,  write  and  print  on  any 
subject."  He  therefore  declared  a  solemn  protest  against 
the  attempt,  as  he  wrote,  "to  frown  down  the  liberty  of 
the  press  and  forbid  the  free  expression  of  opinion. ' '  By 
these  words  he  sounded  the  key-note  for  the  emancipation 
of  human  thought.  By  these  words  he  raised  the  war- 
cry  for  the  disenthralment  of  the  human  mind.  By  these 
words  he  uttered  the  battle-shout  for  universal  freedom 
of  opinion  for  mankind.  Thenceforth  he  entered  upon 
that  agitation  that  embraced  within  its  scope  the  right  to 
think,  the  right  to  speak,  and  the  right  to  print  anywhere 
and  everywhere  those  thoughts  that  come  upon  the  brain 
like  sparks  from  some  great  central  fire  that  burns  upon 
the  altar  of  Divinity.  The  question  of  the  slavery  of  the 
black  was  merged  in  that  far-reaching  question  of  the  lib- 
eration of  the  world. 

In  the  midst  of  the  gravity  of  the  situation,  a  negro  was 
lynched  in  St.  Louis.  Lovejoy,  in  his  Observer,  expressed 
his  opinion  of  mob  law.  Then  his  office  was  mobbed.  He 
saved  the  press  and  moved  it  to  Alton.  A  mob 
threw  it  into  the  river.  A  new  press  was  obtained  and  the 
key-note  of  the  agitation  was  re-sounded.  For  nearly  a 
year,  with  varying  fortunes,  this  agitation  was  continued, 
when,  again  a  mob  entered  his  office  and  destroyed  his 

press  and 


150 

material.  A  new  press  was  obtained  and  the  war-cry  of 
the  agitation  was  raised  anew.  The  night  it  arrived  a 
mob  took  it  and  threw  it  into  the  river.  The  fourth  press 
was  ordered  and  Love  joy  uttered  the  final  battle-shout  of 
the  agitation,  which  though  bringing  death  to  end  his  own 
career,  brought  life  for  that  career  which  showers  bless- 
ings on  a  posterity  which  twines  to-day  and  will  forever 
twine  a  wreath  for  him  on  which  will  be  the  name  of  "Im- 
mortality." He  resolved  to  make  a  last  stand  for  prin- 
ciple. He  had  left  a  state  where  he  was  not  protected  in 
his  property  nor  person.  He  came  to  another  state  be- 
cause he  was  seeking  that  protection.  He  came  to  Illinois 
because  he  expected  here  to  find  it  and  in  order  to  become 
himself  a  man  of  Illinois.  When  he  failed  to  find  it  he 
resolved  still  to  be  and  if  need  be  to  die  a  man  of  Illinois. 
Hence  he  said  with  resolution,  ' '  I  am  determined  to  make 
my  grave  in  Alton."  When  we  think  of  this  resolve  we 
hail  him,  both  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  as  verily  a  man  of 
Illinois.  On  the  night  of  November  sixth,  1837,  the  fourth 
press  landed  in  Alton.  It  was  stored  in  a  warehouse  which 
stood  near  the  Mississippi  river.  Alton  then  had  a  popu- 
lation of  only  twenty-five  hundred  people,  and,  owing  to 
the  lack  of  a  regular  police  force  in  those  early  days  of 
the  city,  sixty  brave  men  volunteered  their  protection. 
This  brave  band  stayed  on  duty  all  day  on  the  seventh. 
Their  conduct  brought  a  lull  in  the  tempest  just  before  it 
began  to  spread  in  all  its  fury.  Everything  seemed  quiet. 
And  by  night  these  volunteers  thought  their  work  com- 
pleted. They  were  about  to  go  to  their  homes  and  fami- 
lies. The  proprietor  of  the  warehouse  however  expressed 
a  desire  that  some  should  stay  as  a  further  precaution. 


151 

Twenty  of  these  brave"  men  stayed.  Love  joy  was  among 
them.  These  twenty  whose  heroic  conduct  will  shine 
through  time  eternal  became  the  guardians  of  the  citadel 
in  which  were  centered  all  the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  a 
yearning  people  whose  solicitude  merits  grateful  recollec- 
tion by  succeeding  generations.  These  twenty  became 
the  body  guard  of  freedom.  It  was  not  long  before  their 
services  were  needed.  In  the  clear  moonlight  a  mob  as- 
sembled outside  the  warehouse.  The  press  was  demanded 
with  a  threat  of  burning  the  building  unless  it  was  deliv- 
ered. In  the  consultation  held  among  the  defenders  on 
the  inside  it  was  decided  not  to  yield  to  this  demand.  The 
warehouse  was  made  of  stone  with  a  shingle  roof.  Its 
north  side  faced  a  bluff  across  the  street;  its  south  side 
faced  the  river  and  opened  directly  on  the  levee.  On  the 
east  side  was  a  vacant  lot  where  the  mob  assembled.  The 
first  attempt  to  storm  the  building  was  made  at  the  north 
door  facing  the  street.  At  this  a  shot  was  fired  from  the 
inside  which  killed  a  member  of  the  unlawful  assembly. 
Then  a  ladder  was  placed  against  the  east  side  of  the  ware- 
house and  a  member  of  the  mob  with  lighted  torch  mount- 
ed to  fire  the  wooden  roof.  Love  joy  and  two  others  left 
by  a  south  door  and  ranged  themselves  in  position  to  fire 
at  the  incendiary.  There  was  a  post  on  the  levee,  placed 
there  to  wind  ropes  around  it  in  tying  up  boats.  Love  joy 
probably  placed  himself  behind  this  post  in  order  that  he 
might  be  shielded  from  the  bullets  of  the  mob  stationed 
to  the  northeast.  But  as  there  was  a  lumber  pile  directly 
east  of  this  post  behind  which  some  of  the  assassins  were 
concealed  he  unintentionally  and  unfortunately  so 
placed  himself  as  to  be  directly  within  the  range 


152 

of  their  missiles.  The  assassins  behind  the  lumber  pile 
pierced  him  with  five  bullets.  He  ran  into  the  warehouse, 
announced  to  his  associates  that  he  was  shot  and  as  they 
tenderly  laid  him  down  he  died  a  martyr  to  his  cause  at 
the  exact  age  of  thirty-five  on  that  very  day.  Then  the 
citadel  was  taken  and  the  garrison,  deprived  of  its  leader, 
surrendered.  The  press  was  sunk  beneath  the  waves  of 
the  Mississippi,  the  mob  dispersed  and  next  morning  a 
widow  and  her  little  son  received  the  dead  body  of  a  brave 
and  loving  husband,  a  brave  and  loving  father ;  and,  while 
their  tears  in  agony  ran  down  their  cheeks,  the  world 
heard  of  this  martyr's  tragic  end  and  with  his  wife  and 
boy  in  sympathetic  strain  it  wept  his  fate  but  looked 
through  all  its  tears  with  yet  a  smile,  perhaps  from  resig- 
nation born  and  because  it  fancied  that  it  saw  the  planting 
of  the  tree  of  liberty  above  that  martyr's  grave.  Then 
they  laid  him  'neath  the  sod  upon  the  hill  above  the  Mis- 
sissippi's tide  where  Alton's  bluff  is  laved  by  waters  which 
unceasing  currents  bring  and  in  whose  gentle  roar  is 
heard  the  solemn  dirge  of  ' '  The  Man  of  Illinois. ' '  Eight 
and  sixty  years  since  then  have  passed.  The  slave  is 
free.  The  tongue  is  free.  The  press  is  free.  And  these 
with  fondest  words  of  praise  speak  of  "The  Man  of  Illi- 
nois." And  we,  who  by  adoption  or  by  birth  claim  title 
to  this  state,  will  never  fail  in  counting  o  'er  the  names  of 
our  distinguished  great  to  mention  him  who  was  "The 
Man  of  Illinois." 

The  author  in  1894  had  quite  an  interview  on  this  subject 
with  the  distinguished  veteran,  Col.  J.  R.  Miles,  who  was  one  of 
four  young  men  who  accompanied  the  undertaker  and  Lovejoy's 
dead  body  home  next  morning  after  the  tragic  event. 


153 


SLAVERY  IN  ILLINOIS. 

Whilst  Illinois  was  never  a  slave  state  in  the  strict 
sense  in  which  the  states  of  the  south  were  regarded  as 
slave  states,  yet,  in  various  forms  both  negro  and  Indian 
slavery  existed  on  the  soil  of  our  state  from  shortly  after 
its  discovery  until  the  ultimate  settlement  of  the  question 
in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

After  the  grant  was  made  to  the  Company  of  the  West 
or  the  Eoyal  India  Company,  the  chief  engineer,  Renault, 
in  1719  left  France  with  some  miners  destined  for  the 
French  possessions  in  the  new  world.  In  addition,  he 
brought  "five  hundred  slaves"  obtained  in  the  West  In- 
dies for  the  purpose  of  developing  the  minerals  in  the 
Illinois  country .a 

The  very  earliest  records,  while  they  do  not  throw 
much  light  on  the  status  of  this  institution  of  slavery,  yet 
show  conclusively  that  its  existence  was  continued  and  en- 
couraged. In  1787,  when  the  ordinance  of  that  year  was 
passed,  a  will  was  made  by  James  Moore  in  which  he  tells 
what  disposition  is  to  made  of  his  negroes  Bingo  and  Ju- 
dith, showing  from  these  record  entries  that  the  institution 
received  not  only  popular  toleration  but  also  absolute 
recognition.  To  remedy  this  state  of  affairs,  the  ordin- 
ance of  1787  provided  that  "neither  slavery  nor  involun- 
tary servitude,"  except  as  a  punishment  for  crimes,  should 
ever  exist  on  the  soil  of  the  Northwest  Territory.  Yet,  in 

a.     Harris,    Negro    Servitude   in   Illinois,    1. 


154 

spite  of  the  official  attempt  to  blot  out  the  institution  or 
at  least  prevent  its  growth  thereafter,  it  remained  in  vari- 
ous forms  and  as  a  political  question  was  left  for  many 
years  to  harass  the  minds  of  the  citizens  of  the  state. 
While  the  intent  of  the  ordinance  was  plain  enough,  yet 
the  adherents  of  slavery  found  a  subterfuge  in  the  pro- 
vision which  retained  to  the  French  and  Canadian  inhabit- 
ants their  laws  and  customs  and  the  further  provision 
that  allowed  the  return  of  fugitives  to  the  original  states, 
where  such  labor  or  service  could  be  lawfully  claimed. 
As  the  French  inhabitants,  from  time  immemorial,  had 
recognized  the  institution,  it  was  virtually  a  part  of  their 
laws  and  customs.  And  on  these  provisions,  the  oppo- 
nents to  a  change  based  their  arguments.  On  these  argu- 
ments were  based  the  laws  passed  by  the  Indiana  and  Illi- 
nois Territories  on  this  subject.  These  laws  virtually  em- 
braced the  allowance  of  a  modified  form.  These  early  en- 
actments allowed  an  immigrant  to  bring  his  slaves  with 
him.  If  when  the  slave  was  of  age  he  would  sign  an 
agreement  to  serve  his  master,  this  indenture  could  be  held 
to  specific  performance.  If  the  slave  did  not  consent  to 
make  such  an  agreement,  he  might  be  sent  from  the  terri- 
tory in  sixty  days.  The  children  who  were  under  age  were 
taken  before  an  officer  and  registered,  by  which  act  they 
were  bound  until  they  were  thirty-two  years  old.  In  at- 
tempting to  evade  the  direct  proposition  of  countenancing 
slavery,  a  system  of  indentured  and  registered  servants 
grew  up  which  circumvented  the  intent  of  the  framers 
of  the  ordinance  of  1787.  Thus  it  came  to  pass  that 
in  Illinois  regulations  were  made,  which  in  their  severity 
flavored  of  all  the  tyranny  of  the  slave  system. 


155 

If  a  negro  or  mulatto  did  not  have  a  certificate  of  free- 
dom he  was  deemed  a  runaway  slave  and  on  arrest  could 
be  sold  for  one  year  as  a  punishment.  When  we  ponder 
on  the  stringency  of  the  laws  which  allowed  the  whipping 
of  slaves  or  servants  for  simply  coming  upon  planta- 
tions or  for  assembling  at  dances,  it  seems  to  us  at  this  day 
as  if  Illinois,  though  born  in  the  days  when  the  cradle  of 
liberty  was  rocking  at  its  fullest,  certainly  passed  through 
a  harsh  infancy.  And  when  we  learn  that  these  whip- 
pings were  to  be  inflicted  the  day  after  judgment  unless 
the  same  happened  to  be  Sunday  and  in  that  case  to  be 
postponed  to  the  day  after,  we  are  really  led  to  know  to 
what  a  farcical  extent  an  evasion  of  law  and  good  morals 
may  lead.  The  pretense  of  thus  being  too  good  to  dese- 
crate the  Sabbath  becomes  a  veritable  burlesque  when 
viewed  in  the  light  in  which  one  would  see  a  human  brute 
administering  corporal  punishment  to  a  weaker  creature 
whose  misfortune  of  birth  is  his  greatest  offense. 

The  constitution  of  1818  provided  against  slavery  and 
involuntary  servitude  and  even  tried  to  regulate  in  its 
terms  the  matter  of  indentured  service.  This  did  not  seem 
to  settle  the  matter  however.  The  Black  Laws  of  1819,  in 
the  first  year  of  the  state  period,  followed  the  Black  Laws 
of  the  territorial  period,  which  followed  the  Black  Code  or 
Le  Code  Noir  of  France.  The  admission  of  Missouri  as  a 
free  or  slave  state  in  1820  was  a  matter  which  kept  alive 
the  question.  The  agitation  was  continued  and  in  the 
campaign  which  elected  Governor  Coles  in  1822  the  issue 
was  at  fever  heat.  On  account  of  a  factional  division  in 
the  ranks  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  Coles,  though  in 


156 

the  minority,  was  elected  Governor  by  a  plurality  vote.  In 
his  message  he  took  a  decided  stand  on  the  slavery  ques- 
tion but  the  legislature  in  1823  made  an  attempt  to  amend 
the  constitution,  which  however  was  not  adopted  by  the 
people  to  whom  the  question  was  submitted  in  1824. 

After  the  Love  joy  assassination  in  1837,  the  matter  in 
its  various  phases  began  to  be  tested  in  the  courts.  Nu- 
merous cases  were  tried  and  appealed. 

At  the  December  term,  1845,  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illi- 
nois decided  in  effect  that  the  descendants  of  the  old 
French  slaves  born  after  the  ordinance  of  1787  could  not 
be  held  to  slavery .a  This  was  practically  a  decisive  case. 
Edwards  says,  "since  that  time  the  State  of  Illinois  has 
been  freed  from  the  evils  of  slavery.  "b  Eeynolds  says, 
' '  This  decision  liberated  all  the  French  slaves  in  the  coun- 
try."0 

The  constitution  of  1848  provided  "There  shall  be 
neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude  in  this  state,  ex- 
cept as  a  punishment  for  crimes,  whereof  the  party  shall 
have  been  duly  convicted." 

In  1849  the  supreme  court  practically  decided  the  in- 
validity of  the  fugitive  slave  law.d 

By  act  of  the  legislature  of  February  twelfth,  1853,  it 
was  again  attempted  "to  prevent  the  immigration  of  free 
negroes. '  'e 

a.  Jarrot  v.  Jarrot,  2  Gilman,  1. 

b.  Edwards,  Hist,  of  111.,  184. 

c.  Reynolds,    My   Own   Times,    209. 

d.  See   ante,   p.    128. 

e.  Act  of  1853,  p.  57. 


157 

The  whole  matter  was  settled  on  February  seventh, 
1865,  when  the  Black  Laws  were  repealed,  including  the 
act  of  February  twelfth,  1853  ;a  and  when  the  constitution 
of  1870  was  adopted,  after  this  legislative  settlement  and 
the  nation  had  passed  through  the  great  Civil  War,  by 
which  the  matter  of  slavery  was  forever  finally  determined 
in  all  of  the  states,  this  constitution  did  not  deem  it  neces- 
sary to  make  mention  of  the  subject. 

Illinois  was  the  first  state  in  the  union  to  ratify  the 
thirteenth  amendment  to  the  national  constitution  in  1865. 
In  1867  it  ratified  the  fourteenth  and  in  1869  the  fifteenth. 

For  further  information  the  act  is  given  entitled  "AN 
ACT  respecting  free  Negroes,  Mulattoes,  Servants  and 
Slaves,"  commonly  known  as  the  famous  "Black  Laws." 

a.     Laws   of   1865,   p.   105. 


158 

"AN  ACT  respecting  free  Negroes,  Mulattoes,  Servants  and 

Slaves. 

Approved,  March  30,  1819. 

[Sect.  1.]  Be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  state 
of  Illinois  represented  in  the  general  assembly,  That  from 
and  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  no  black  or  mu- 
latto person  shall  be  permitted  to  settle  or  reside  in  this 
state,  unless  he  or  she  shall  first  produce  a  certificate, 
signed  by  some  judge  or  clerk  of  some  court  in  the  United 
States,  of  his  or  her  actual  freedom;  which  certificate, 
shall  have  the  seal  of  such  court  affixed  to  it;  on  produc- 
ing the  same  to  the  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  of  the  county 
in  which  he  shall  intend  to  settle,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
such  clerk  to  make  an  entry  thereof,  and  endorse  a  certifi- 
cate on  the  original  certificate,  stating  the  time  the  same 
was  entered  in  his  office,  and  the  name  and  description  of 
the  person  producing  the  same ;  after  which  it  shall  be  law- 
ful for  such  free  negro  or  mulatto  to  reside  in  this  state. 

Sect.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  all  free  negroes  and  mulattoes,  who  shall  come 
to  reside  in  this  state  after  the  first  day  of  June  next, 
and  having  a  family  of  his  or  her  own,  and  having  a  cer- 
tificate as  mentioned  in  the  first  section  of  this  act,  to 
give  to  the  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  at  the  time  of  mak- 
ing an  entry  of  his  certificate,  a  description,  with  the 
name  and  ages  of  his,  her  or  their  family,  which  shall 


159 

be  stated  by  the  clerk  in  the  entry  made  by  him  of  such 
certificate;  and  the  clerk  shall  also  state  the  same  on  the 
original  certificate :  Provided  however,  That  nothing  con- 
tained in  this  or  the  preceding  section  of  this  act,  shall  be 
construed  to  prevent  the  overseers  of  the  poor  in  any  town- 
ship, from  causing  any  such  free  negro  or  mulatto  to  be 
removed  who  shall  come  into  this  state  contrary  to  the  pro- 
visions of  the  act  concerning  the  poor. 

Sect.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  not 
be  lawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to  bring  into  this  state 
after  the  passage  of  this  act,  any  negro  or  mulatto,  who 
shall  be  a  slave  or  held  to  service  at  the  time,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  emancipating  or  setting  at  liberty  any  such  negro 
or  mulatto;  and  any  person  or  persons,  who  shall  so  bring 
in  any  such  negro  or  mulatto  for  the  purpose  aforesaid, 
shall  give  a  bond  to  the  county  commissioners  of  the 
county  where  such  slave  or  slaves  are  emancipated,  in  the 
penalty  of  one  thousand  dollars,  conditioned  that  such 
person  so  emancipated  by  him,  shall  not  become  a  charge 
on  any  county  in  this  state ;  and  every  person  neglecting 
or  refusing  to  give  such  bond,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  the 
sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  for  each  negro  or  mulatto  so 
emancipated  or  set  at  liberty,  to  be  recovered  by  action  of 
debt  before  any  court  competent  to  try  the  same,  to  be 
sued  for  in  the  name  of  the  county  commissioners  of  the 
county,  where  the  same  shall  happen,  to  the  use  of  the 
county. 

Sect.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  every  black 
or  mulatto  person,  (slaves  and  persons  held  to  service 
excepted)  residing  in  this  state  at  the  passage  of  this 


160 

act,  shall  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  June  next,  enter  his 
or  their  name  (unless  they  have  heretofore  entered  the 
same,)  together  with  the  name  or  names  of  his  or  her  fam- 
ily, with  the  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  of  the  county  in 
which  they  reside,  together  with  the  evidence  of  his  or  her 
freedom ;  which  shall  be  entered  on  record  by  the  said 
clerk,  together  with  a  description  of  all  such  persons;  and 
thereafter  the  clerk's  certificate  of  such  record  shall  be 
sufficient  evidence  of  his  or  her  freedom : — Provided  never- 
theless, That  nothing  in  this  act  contained,  shall  be  con- 
strued to  bar  the  lawful  claim  of  any  person  or  persons  to 
any  such  negro  or  mulatto. 

Sect.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  not 
be  lawful  for  any  person  or  persons  residing  in  this  state 
after  the  first  day  of  June  next,  to  hire,  or  in  any  wise  em- 
ploy any  black  or  mulatto  person,  unless  such  person  shall 
have  one  of  the  certificates  aforesaid ;  and  any  person  who 
shall  hire  or  employ  any  black  or  mulatto  person  contrary 
to  the  provisions  of  this  section,  shall  pay  the  sum  of  one 
dollar  and  fifty-cents  for  each  day  they  shall  hire  or  employ 
any  such  black  or  mulatto  person,  recoverable  before  any 
justice  of  the  peace,  or  court  competent  to  try  the  same, 
in  the  name  of  the  county  commissioners  of  the  county 
where  the  offence  may  be  committed ;  one  third  thereof  to 
the  person  giving  the  information,  and  the  other  two-thirds 
to  the  use  of  the  county;  which  said  two-thirds  shall  be 
paid  to  the  owner  or  owners  of  the  black  or  mulatto  person, 
if  any  there  shall  be,  and  apply  for  the  same. 

Sect.   6.    And  be  it  further  enacted,     That    if    any 


161 

person  or  persons,  shall  harbor  or  secrete  any  black  or 
mulatto  person,  the  same  being  a  slave  or  owing  service  or 
labor  to  any  other  person  or  persons,  and  knowing  the 
same,  or  shall  in  any  wise  hinder  or  prevent  the  lawful 
owner  or  owners  of  such  slaves  or  servants  from  retaking 
and  possessing  his  or  their  slave  or  servant,  shall  be  deem- 
ed guilty  of  felony,  and  upon  conviction  thereof,  before 
any  court  competent  to  try  the  same,  shall  suffer  the  pains 
and  penalties  prescribed  by  law  for  persons  guilty  of  re- 
ceiving stolen  goods,  knowing  them  to  be  stolen. 

Sect.  7.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  every  black 
or  mulatto  person  who  shall  be  found  in  this  state,  and  not 
having  such  a  certificate  as  is  required  by  this  act,  shall  be 
deemed  a  runaway  slave  or  servant ;  and  it  shall  be  lawful 
for  any  inhabitant  of  this,  to  take  such  black  or  mulatto 
person  and  carry  them  before  some  justice  of  the  peace; 
and  should  such  black  or  mulatto  person  not  produce  such 
certificate  as  aforesaid,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  such  justice 
to  cause  such  black  or  mulatto  person,  to  be  committed  to 
the  custody  of  the  sheriff  the  county,  who  shall  keep  such 
black  or  mulatto  person,  and  in  three  days  after  receiving 
them,  shall  advertise  them  at  the  door  of  the  court  house, 
and  shall  transmit  a  notice  and  cause  the  same  to  be  adver- 
tised for  six  weeks  in  some  public  newpaper,  printed  near- 
est to  the  place  of  apprehending  such  black  person  or  mu- 
latto, stating  a  description  of  the  most  remarkable  features 
of  such  supposed  runaway ;  and  if  such  person,  so  commit- 
ted, shall  not  procure  a  certificate  or  other  evidence  of  their 
freedom  within  the  time  aforesaid,  it  shall  be  the  duty 


162 

of  the  sheriff  to  hire  them  out  for  the  best  price  he  can  get, 
after  having  given  five  days  previous  notice  thereof,  from 
month  to  month,  for  the  space  of  one  year. — And  if  no 
owner  shall  appear  and  substantiate  their  claim  before  the 
expiration  of  the  year,  the  sheriff  shall  give  a  certificate  to 
such  black  or  mulatto  person,  who  on  producing  the  same 
to  the  next  circuit  court  of  the  county,  may  obtain  a  cer- 
tificate from  the  court,  stating  the  facts,  and  that  the  per- 
son shall  be  deemed  a  free  person,  unless  they  shall  be  law- 
fully claimed  by  their  proper  owner  or  owners  thereafter. 
And  as  a  reward  to  the  taker  up  of  such  negro,  there  shall 
be  paid  by  the  owner,  if  any,  before  he  shall  receive  him 
from  the  sheriff,  ten  dollars,  and  the  owner  shall  moreover 
pay  to  the  sheriff  for  the  justice,  two  dollars,  and  reason- 
able costs  for  carrying  such  runaway  to  the  sheriff;  and 
shall  also  pay  the  sheriff  all  fees  for  keeping  such  runaway 
as  other  prisoners:  Provided  however,  That  the  proper 
owner,  if  any  there  be,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  hire  of  any 
such  runaway  from  the  sheriff,  after  deducting  the  ex- 
penses of  the  same :  And  provided  also,  That  the  taker  up 
shall  have  a  right  to  claim  any  reward  which  the  owner 
shall  have  offered  for  the  apprehension  of  such  runaway ; 
should  any  taker  up  claim  such  offered  reward,  he  shall 
not  be  entitled  to  the  allowance  made  by  this  act. 

Sect.  8.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  case 
any  black  or  mulatto  person  shall  not  be  claimed  by  the 
owner  in  the  time  aforesaid,  and  such  person  shall  have 
obtained  a  certificate  from  the  court  aforesaid,  they 
shall  receive  all  the  amount  of  the  wages  for  which  they 


163 

may  have  been  hired,  after  paying  the  expenses ;  and  any 
person  applying  to  the  proper  authority  as  provided  by 
the  laws  of  the  United  States,  or  of  this  state,  for  judging 
in  such  cases  for  reclaiming  any  black  or  mulatto  person 
as  his,  her,  or  their  slave  or  servant,  and  whose  character 
for  veracity,  is  not  such  as  to  satisfy  any  judge  or  justice 
of  the  peace,  or  other  proper  authority,  that  the  oath  or 
representation  of  such  claimant  is  entitled  to  credit;  and 
should  such  claimant  be  a  stranger,  it  will  be  necessary 
that  such  authority  should  be  made  satisfied  that  such 
claimant  or  claimants  are  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
that  they  are  entitled  to  such  credit  as  is  before  required, 
before  they  act  thereon,  otherwise  than  securing  those 
claimed,  until  a  decision  can  be  had  therein;  and  should 
any  person  or  persons  fraudulently  obtain  possession  of 
any  free  negro  or  mulatto,  by  false  swearing  before  any 
competent  authority,  such  person  or  persons  so  offending, 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  perjury,  and  on  conviction  there- 
of, shall  be  liable  to  suffer  the  penalties  prescribed  by  law 
for  such  offences. 

Sect.  9.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  any  person 
or  persons,  who  shall  forcibly  take  and  carry  out  of 
this  state  any  negro  or  mulatto,  (slaves  excepted  by  their 
owners,)  owing  service  or  labor  to  any  person  in  this 
state,  or  who  shall  forcibly  take  out  of  this  state,  any 
free  negro  or  mulatto  having  gained  a  legal  settlement 
in  this  state,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  for  every  such 
offence  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  to  the  party 
injured,  to  be  recovered  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  the 


164 

state  of  Illinois,  by  action  of  debt  in  any  court  having 
cognizance  of  the  same:  Provided  however,  That  this 
section  shall  not  be  construed  so  as  to  prevent  the  owner 
or  owners,  or  their  agents,  from  removing  their  servants, 
who  shall  runaway  and  be  found  in  this  state,  to  any  state 
or  territory  where  they  may  belong,  nor  to  persons  who 
shall  be  travelling  or  removing  their  servants  through  this 
state,  to  any  other  state  or  territory. 

Sect.  10.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  servants 
shall  be  provided  by  the  master  with  wholesome  and  suf- 
ficient food,  clothing,  and  lodging,  and  at  the  end  of  their 
service,  if  they  shall  not  have  contracted  for  any  reward, 
food,  clothing  and  lodging,  shall  receive  from  him  one  new 
and  complete  suit  of  clothing  suited  to  the  season  of  the 
year,  to-wit :  a  coat,  waist  coat,  pair  of  breeches,  and  shoes, 
two  pair  of  stockings,  two  shirts,  a  hat  and  blanket. 

Sect.  11.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  benefit 
of  the  said  contract  of  service,  shall  be  assignable  by  the 
master  to  any  person  being  a  citizen  of  this  state,  to  whom 
the  servant  shall  in  the  presence  of  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
freely  consent,  that  it  shall  be  assigned;  the  said  justice, 
attesting  such  free  consent  in  writing;  and  shall  also 
pass  to  the  executors,  administrators  and  legatees  of  the 
master. 

Sect.  12.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  any  such 
servant  being  lazy,  disorderly,  guilty  of  misbehaviour 
to  his  master,  or  master's  family,  shall  be  corrected  by 
stripes,  on  order  from  a  justice  of  the  county,  wherein 
he  resides;  or  refusing  to  work,  shall  be  compelled 


165 

thereto  in  like  manner,  and  moreover  shall  serve  two  days 
for  every  one  he  shall  have  so  refused  to  serve,  or  shall 
otherwise  have  lost,  without  sufficient  justification;  all 
necessary  expences  incurred  by  any  master  for  appre- 
hending and  bringing  home  any  obsconding  servant,  shall 
be  repaid  by  further  services,  after  such  rates  as  the  cir- 
cuit court  of  the  county  shall  direct,  unless  such  servant 
shall  give  security,  to  be  approved  of  by  the  court  for  the 
payment  in  money  within  six  months  after  he  shall  be  free 
from  service,  and  shall  accordingly  pay  the  same. 

Sect.  13.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any 
master  shall  fail  in  the  duties  prescribed  by  this  act,  or 
shall  be  guilty  of  injurious  demeanor  towards  his  servant, 
it  shall  be  redressed  on  motion,  by  the  circuit  court  of  the 
county  wherein  the  servant  resides,  who  may  hear  and  de- 
termine such  cases  in  a  summary  way,  making  such  orders 
thereupon,  as  in  their  judgment  will  relieve  the  party  in- 
jured in  future. 

Sect.  14.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  con- 
tracts between  masters  and  servants,  during  the  time  of 
service,  shall  be  void. 

Sect.  15.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  cir- 
cuit court  of  every  county  shall,  at  all  times,  receive 
the  complaints  of  servants,  being  citizens  of  any  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  who  reside  within  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  such  court,  against  their  masters  or  mistresses, 
alledging  undeserved  or  immoderate  correction,  insuffi- 
cient allowances  of  food,  raiment,  or  lodging,  and  may 
hear  and  determine  such  case  in  a  summary  way,  making 


166 

such  orders  thereupon  as  in  their  judgment  will  relieve 
the  party  injured  in  future ;  and  may  also,  in  the  same 
manner  hear  and  determine  complaints  of  masters  and 
mistresses  against  their  servants,  for  desertion  without 
good  cause,  and  may  oblige  the  latter  for  loss  thereby 
occasioned,  to  make  restitution  by  further  services  after 
the  expiration  of  the  time,  for  which  they  had  been  bound. 

Sect.  16.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any 
servant  shall  at  any  time  bring  in  goods  or  money,  during 
time  of  their  service,  shall  by  gift,  or  other  lawful  means, 
acquire  goods  or  money,  they  shall  have  the  property,  and 
benefit  thereof,  to  their  own  use ;  and  if  any  servant  shall 
be  sick  or  lame,  and  so  become  useless  or  chargeable,  his 
or  her  master  or  owner,  shall  maintain  such  servant,  until 
his  or  her  time  of  service  shall  be  expired;  and  if  any 
master  or  owner,  shall  put  away  any  lame  or  sick  servant, 
under  pretence  of  freedom,  and  such  servant  becomes 
chargeable  to  the  county,  such  master  or  owner,  shall  for- 
feit and  pay  thirty  dollars,  to  the  overseers  of  the  poor  of 
the  county,  wherein  such  offence  shall  be  committed,  to 
the  use  of  the  poor  of  the  county,  recoverable  with  costs, 
by  action  of  debt  in  any  circuit  court ;  and  moreover,  shall 
be  liable  to  the  action  of  the  said  overseers  of  the  poor  at 
the  common  law  for  damages. 

Sect.  17.  And  6e  it  further  enacted,  That  no  negro, 
mulatto,  or  indian,  shall  at  any  time  purchase  any  servant, 
other  than  of  their  own  complexion,  and  if  any  of  the  per- 
sons aforesaid,  shall  nevertheless  presume  to  purchase  a 


167 

white  servant,  such  servant  shall  immediately  become  free, 
and  shall  be  so  held,  deemed  and  taken. 

Sect.  18.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  no  person 
shall  buy,  sell  or  receive  of,  to,  or  from  any  servant  or 
slave  any  coin  or  commodity  without  leave  or  consent  of 
the  master  or  owner  of  such  slave  or  servant;  and  any 
person  so  offending  shall  forfeit  and  pay  to  the  master 
or  owner  of  such  slave  or  servant  four  times  the  value 
of  the  thing  so  bought,  sold  or  recovered,  to  be  recovered 
with  costs  of  suit  before  any  court  having  cognizance  of 
the  same ;  and  every  servant  upon  the  expiration  of  his  or 
her  time  shall  be  entitled  to  a  certificate  from  the  clerk  of 
the  court  of  the  county  where  such  servant  is  indentured 
or  registered,  and  such  certificate  shall  indemnify  any  per- 
son for  hiring  or  employing  such  person. 

Sect.  19.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  all 
cases  of  penal  laws  where  free  persons  are  punishable  by 
fine,  servants  shall  be  punished  by  whipping,  after  the 
rate  of  twenty  lashes  for  every  eight  dollars,  so  that  no 
servant  shall  receive  more  than  forty  lashes  at  any  one 
time,  unless  such  offender  can  procure  some  person  to  pay 
the  fine. 

Sect.  20.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  every 
servant  upon  the  expiration  of  his  or  her  time,  and  proof 
thereof  made  before  the  circuit  court  of  the  county,  where 
he  or  she  last  served,  shall  have  his  or  her  freedom  re- 
corded and  a  certificate  thereof,  under  the  hand  of  the 
clerk,  which  shall  be  sufficient  to  indemnify  any  person 
for  entertaining  or  hiring  such  servant;  and  if  such 


168 

certificate  should  happen  to  be  torn  or  lost,  the  clerk, 
upon  request  shall  issue  another,  reciting  therein  the  loss 
of  the  former. 

Sect.  21.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any 
slave  or  servant  shall  be  found  at  a  distance  of  ten  miles 
from  the  tenement  of  his  or  her  master,  or  the  person  with 
whom  he  or  she  lives,  without  a  pass  or  some  letter  of 
token,  whereby  it  may  appear  that  he  or  she  is  proceeding 
by  authority  from  his  or  her  master,  employer  or  overseer, 
it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  any  person  to  apprehend 
and  carry  him  or  her  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  to  be 
by  his  order  punished  with  stripes,  not  exceeding  thirty- 
five,  at  his  discretion. 

Sect.  22.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any 
slave  or  servant  shall  presume  to  come  and  be  upon  the 
plantation,  or  at  the  dwelling  of  any  person  whatsoever, 
without  leave  from  his  or  her  owner,  not  being  sent  upon 
lawful  business,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  owner  of  such 
plantation,  or  dwelling  house  to  give  or  order  such  slave 
or  servant,  ten  lashes  on  his  or  her  bare  back. 

Sect.  23.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  riots,  routs, 
unlawful  assemblies,  trespasses  and  seditious  speeches,  by 
any  slave  or  slaves,  servant  or  servants,  shall  be  punished 
with  stripes,  at  the  discretion  of  a  justice  of  the  peace,  not 
exceeding  thirty-nine,  and  he  who  will,  may  apprehend 
and  carry  him,  her  or  them  before  such  justice. 

Sect.  24.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any 
person  or  persons  shall  permit  or  suffer  any  slave  or 
slaves,  servant  or  servants  of  color,  to  the  number  of 


169 

three  or  more,  to  assemble  in  his,  her  or  their  house,  out 
house,  yard  or  shed  for  the  purpose  of  dancing  or  revell- 
ing, either  by  night  or  by  day,  the  person  or  persons  so 
offending  shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  twenty  dollars, 
with  costs,  to  any  person  or  persons  who  will  sue  for  and 
recover  the  same,  by  action  of  debt  or  indictment,  in  any 
court  of  record  proper  to  try  the  same. 

Sect.  25.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  all  coroners,  sheriffs,  judges  and  justices  of 
the  peace,  who  shall  see  or  known  of,  or  be  informed  of 
any  such  assemblage  of  slaves  or  servants,  immediately  to 
commit  such  slaves  or  servants  to  the  jail  of  the  county; 
and  on  view  or  proof  thereof,  order  each  and  every  such 
slave  or  servant  to  be  whipped,  not  exceeding  thirty-nine 
stripes,  on  his  or  her  bare  back,  on  the  day  next  succeed- 
ing such  assemblage,  unless  it  shall  happen  on  a  Sunday, 
then  on  the  Monday  following ;  which  said  stripes  shall  be 
inflicted  by  any  constable  of  the  township,  if  there  should 
be  one  therein,  or  otherwise  by  any  person  or  persons 
whom  the  said  justices  shall  appoint,  and  who  shall  be 
willing  so  to  inflict  the  same: — Provided  however,  That 
the  provisions  hereof  shall  not  apply  to  any  persons  of 
color,  who  may  assemble  for  the  purpose  of  amusement, 
by  permission  of  their  masters  first  had  in  writing,  on 
condition  that  no  disorderly  conduct  is  made  use  of  by 
them  hi  such  assemblage. ' >a 

a.  Foregoing  is  a  copy  of  Act  1819,  pp.  354  and  suite,  with 
grammatical  and  typographical  mistakes  as  in  original. 


170 


CARUN  1838-1842. 

On  December  seventh,  1838,  Thomas  Carlin  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor.  Unlike  his  predecessor,  Governor 
Duncan,  who  was  opposed  to  overdoing  the  matter  of  in- 
ternal improvements  on  account  of  the  wastefulness  and 
extravagance  attendant  thereon,  Carlin  urged  4he  wisdom 
of  the  policy.  Questions  of  national  politics  had  been 
drawn  into  the  campaign  and  the  national  banking  sys- 
tem to  which  Carlin  was  opposed  was  one  of  these.  The 
legislature,  which  by  the  way  was  the  last  one  that  met  at 
Vandalia  prior  to  the  removal  of  the  capital  to  Spring- 
field, continued  the  policy  of  internal  improvements, 
though  it  placed  itself  on  record  by  resolution  against  the 
Governor's  financial  views  and  in  favor  of  the  national 
banking  system.  The  sale  of  bonds  for  state  improve- 
ments and  the  blundering  operations  on  the  part  of  the 
agents  entailed  much  loss  to  the  state  government.  The 
agreement  to  receive  payments  in  installments  or  deferred 
payments  meant  a  loss  of  interest  and  the  sale  of  some  of 
the  bonds  on  credit  to  banks  which  failed  meant  an  en- 
tire loss.  Some  of  the  bonds,  which  were  placed  on  sale 
in  London,  sold  for  less  than  their  face  value  and  before 
even  those  returns  were  made,  on  account  of  the  failure 
of  the  firm  placing  them,  were  reduced  to  mere 
creditors'  dividends  for  the  state.  The  Governor  ex- 
perienced a  change  of  sentiment  on  this  subject  and 


171 

in  a  message  to  the  legislature  he  pointed  out  the  ruinous 
tendency  of  the  policy  to  overdo  the  system.  While  the 
struggle  was  continued  for  the  maintenance  of  the  system 
in  its  entirety,  enough  legislators  were  of  the  opinion  that 
it  should  be  curtailed.  And  so  a  readjustment  began, 
which  virtually  meant  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  that 
stupendous  system  which  found  its  birth  in  the  fertile 
brain  of  legislative  dreamers,  urged  forward  by  the  il- 
lusive hopes  of  constituencies  who  in  those  days,  as  now, 
were  illured  by  thoughts  of  prosperity  which  though  laid 
on  uncertain  foundations  should  increase  with  lightning- 
like  rapidity.  More  than  $12,000,000  had  been  expended 
since  the  movement  had  been  set  on  foot.  It  narrowed 
itself  down  under  this  administration  to  the  matter  of 
completing  the  railroad  from  Meredosia  to  Springfield  for 
which  an  appropriation  was  secured.  But  this  last  sur- 
vivor of  the  internal  improvement  wreck,  too,  yielded  be- 
fore the  end  of  this  administration.  The  state  then 
placed  it  into  the  hands  of  lessees  but  in  1847  it  was  sold 
for  $21,100.  Dr.  Bernard  Stuve  says :  "Nothing  further 
was  ever  done  toward  completing  any  of  the  rest  of  the 
works,  which  were  scattered  in  detached  parcels  over  the 
State,  where  excavations  and  embankments  were  in  evi- 
dence for  many  years  as  monuments  of  a  costly  legislative 
folly."a 

a.     Trans.  111.  State  Hist.   Soc.  1902,  p.  125. 
For  Internal  Improvement  System  see  also: 
Peck,  Gazetteer  of  111. — Ford,  Hist,  of  111. — Brown,  Hist, 
of  111.— Davidson  &  Stuve,  Hist,  of  111.— Moses,  111.  Hist, 
and  Stat.  and  various  Session  Laws. 


172 

The  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  which  was  closely 
allied  to  the  system  has  practically  pursued  its  course 
alone  with  varying  fortune  up  to  the  present  time  and  in 
its  decay  serves  as  a  reminder  of  the  dreams  of  wealth 
and  glory  of  the  earlier  days  of  the  state.  The  central 
railroad,  another  off-spring  of  this  unfortunate  birth, 
fared  better  in  after  years  when  the  national  government 
came  to  its  assistance.3-  The  amount  expended  on  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  from  the  date  of  its  beginning 
in  1836  to  the  end  of  this  administration  was  nearly  $5,- 
000,000.  After  this,  work  was  suspended  on  account  of 
the  lack  of  funds  until  in  1845  the  state  provided  for  a 
loan  of  $1,600,000  for  its  completion  and  the  whole  mat- 
ter was  turned  over  to  a  set  of  trustees  who  were  to  repre- 
sent the  state  and  the  bond  holders.  It  was  completed 
in  1848  so  that  boats  could  pass  the  entire  length  from  La 
Salle  to  Chicago.  In  1871,  all  incumbrances  settled,  it 
was  turned  over  to  the  state  by  the  canal  trustees.  Up 
to  this  time  its  receipts  seemed  to  have  kept  down  the  ex- 
penses. In  after  years  the  expenses  exceeded  the  tolls. 
The  construction  of  railroads  and  new  methods  of  trans- 
portation have  largely  diverted  the  carrying  trade  to 
faster  channels.  A  work  on  similar  lines  has  in  recent 
years  been  undertaken  and  completed  by  the  Chicago 
Drainage  District  in  the  shape  of  a  sanitary  canal 
from  Chicago  to  Joliet  which  has  involved  an  expendi- 
ture of  more  than  $50,000,000.  An  effort  is  also  be- 
ing made  to  establish  a  deep  water-way  by  means  of 
this  route  down  and  through  the  Illinois  and  Miss- 

a.     Land   Grant   to   Illinois   Central. 


173 

issippi  rivers  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  by  which  large  steam- 
ers may  be  enabled  to  carry  the  internal  commerce  of  the 
country  to  its  northern-most  and  southern-most  bounds ; 
while  in  connection  with  the  Panama  Canal  project  this 
interior  water-way  with  its  northern  and  southern  outlets 
would  exercise  a  tremendous  influence  on  the  commerce 
of  the  whole  nation  and  thereby  it  may  be  that  the  dreams 
of  the  early  pioneers  may  yet  find  a  realization  before  the 
present  generation  shall  have  gone  to  join  them.  Thus, 
this  monument,  having  outlived  the  other  state  creations 
of  contemporaneous  birth,  may  bring  about  the  fruition  of 
the  hopes  of  both  the  past  and  the  present. 

During  this  administration  the  following  counties  were 
formed : 

Marshall January  19,  1839.     Act  of  1839,  p.  43 

Brown February     1,     "  "  "          52 

Du  Page "          9,    "  '         "  "          73 

Dane    (name    changed    to 

Christian) a. . . . February  15,     "  "  "         104 

Logan "         15,    "  "  "        104 

Menard "         15,     "  "         104 

Scott "         16,     "  "  "         126 

Carroll "         22,     "  "  "         160 

Lee "         27,    "  "  "         170 

Jersey "         28,     "  "  "         208 

Williamson  ....         "         28,     "  "  "         110 

De  Witt March    1,     "  "  "         199 

Lake "         1,    "  "  "        216 

a.     Changed  February  1,  1840.     Act  of  1840,  p.  80. 


174 

Hardin March  2,1839.  Act  of  1839,  p.  234 

Stark "  2,  "  "  "  229 

Henderson  ..  .  .January  20,  1841.  "  1841,  67 

Mason "  20,  "  "  "  69 

Piatt "  27,  "  "  "  71 

Grundy February  17,  "  "  "  74 

Kendall "  19,  "  ll  "  75 

Richland "  24,  "  "  "  77 

Woodford  ....  "  27,  "  "  "  84 

On  the  fourth  day  of  July,  1839,  when  the  capital  was 
moved  to  Springfield,  the  state  was  divided  into  eighty- 
seven  counties  and  the  population  the  year  following  was 
476,183  as  shown  by  the  census  of  1840. 

During  the  latter  part,  toward  the  close,  of  this  admin- 
istration, the  Mormon  troubles  began  to  arrive  which  ex- 
tended into  the  next  administration. 


175 


THE  MORMONS.* 

In  1829,  near  Palmyra,  New  York,  Joseph  Smith  claim- 
ed to  have  discovered  or  unearthed  some  gold  tablets  or 
plates  with  inscriptions  upon  them  and  that  he  did  this  in 
pursuance  to  a  revelation  made  to  him  by  the  Angel 
Maroni.  This  discovery  attracted  some  attention  in  the 
locality,  and  others,  who  claimed  to  have  received  mani- 
festations, became  ready  to  vouch  for  the  genuineness  of 
the  discovery.  Smith  made  a  translation  of  the  inscrip- 
tions using  what  was  called  a  seer  stone.  This  transla- 
tion was  formed  into  what  has  since  become  known  as  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  Human  credulity  brought  some  be- 
lievers and  in  1830  we  find  Smith  and  his  associates  form- 
ing into  a  church  at  Manchester.  Later,  they  established 
themselves  near  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  Smith  established 
a  bank  at  a  place  called  Kirtland.  After  the  failure  of 
this  project,  he  and  his  followers  went  to  Independence, 
Missouri.  Here  troubles  soon  arose  between  the  Mormons 
and  the  Gentiles,  which  led  to  many  legal  squabbles  until 
the  Mormons  began  to  defy  the  authority  of  the  state. 
Then  the  Governor  called  out  the  militia  for  the  purpose 
of  placing  them  into  submission.  The  leaders  were  arrest- 
ed and  court-martialed ;  were  saved  through  the  clemency 
of  General  Doniphan,  but  were  held  by  a  Circuit  Judge  on 
a  number  of  charges.  The  rest  were  allowed  to  go  on  condi- 

a.     They  call  themselves  the  Latter  Day  Saints. 


176 

tion  that  they  leave  the  state.  The  leaders  also  making 
their  escape,  the  entire  Mormon  force  migrated  to  Illinois 
in  1839.  They  settled  in  Hancock  County  and  founded 
the  town  of  Nauvoo.  Here  difficulties  soon  arose  between 
them  and  the  Gentiles,  similar  to  those  which  had  taken 
place  in  Missouri.  They  became  offensively  officious  in 
the  matter  of  politics  and  on  account  of  their  numbers  and 
political  strength  were  humored  by  the  politicians,  and 
through  this  became  a  still  greater  disturbing  power.  The 
legislature  of  1840- '41  granted  a  charter  to  Nauvoo 
which  clothed  it  with  almost  plenary  local  jurisdiction. 
It  was  allowed  not  alone  to  pass  ordinances  but  to  estab- 
lish courts  with  far-reaching  powers  and  organize  its 
militia  into  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  Under  this  charter,  the 
city  was  organized  in  1841  and  Joseph  Smith  was  elected 
its  mayor.  During  this  year,  in  the  fall,  the  Governor 
of  Missouri  requested  that  Smith  and  the  leaders  be  re- 
turned as  fugitives  and  Governor  Carlin  issued  a  warrant 
of  arrest,  which  however  was  not  executed.  In  1842,  the 
writ  was  issued  again  by  Governor  Carlin.  Smith  this 
time  was  arrested,  taken  before  Judge  Douglas  on  a  writ 
of  habeas  corpus,  but  discharged  on  the  ground  that  inas- 
much as  the  warrant  had  been  returned  unexecuted  be- 
fore, it  had  become  of  no  further  force.  On  the  heels  of 
this,  the  Nauvoo  council  passed  an  ordinance  giving  its 
municipal  court  jurisdiction  over  arrests,  by  no  matter 
what  process  made,  within  its  limits. 

A  continuation  of  these  complications,  thus  begun,  was 
carried  on  under  the  succeeding  administration. 


177 


FORD  1842-1846. 

On  December  eighth,  1842,  Thomas  Ford  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor.  At  this  time,  the  Mormons  numbered 
about  sixteen  thousand  in  this  state.  Governor  Ford,  in 
his  history,3-  says,  "the  Mormons  were  desirous  of  having 
the  cause  of  arrest  legally  tested  in  the  federal  court." 
Hence,  he  issued  a  new  warrant  on  the  strength  of  which 
Smith  appeared  in  Springfield  and  on  a  habeas  corpus  pro- 
ceeding he  was  discharged  by  Judge  Pope  of  the  federal 
court.  On  account  of  political  intrigues  and  factional 
differences  in  the  church,  this  discharge  did  not  termin- 
ate the  troubles  which  were  destined  to  harass  this  admin- 
istration for  some  time  longer.  A  new  indictment  was 
found  in  Missouri  against  Smith  in  1843  for  an  attempt  to 
murder  the  Governor  and  on  the  seventh  of  June  a  requis- 
ition was  made  on  the  Governor  of  Illinois,  who  issued  a 
warrant  which  was  given  to  a  constable  of  Hancock  Coun- 
ty to  serve,  who,  after  making  the  arrest,  turned  his  pris- 
oner over  to  the  Missouri  officer  from  whom  he  was  res- 
cued by  an  armed  body  of  Mormons  who  took  him  back 
to  Nauvoo  where  he  was  discharged  by  the  municipal 
court,  which  had  been  clothed  with  such  extraordinary 
judicial  powers.  The  Missouri  official  called  upon  the 
Governor  to  call  out  the  militia,  which  however  he  de- 
clined to  do.  i 

These  successes  led  the  Mormons  to  become  exceedingly 

a.     Ford,  Hist,   of  111.,   313. 


178 

arrogant.  The  council  provided  by  ordinance  that  if  any 
one  should  try  to  make  arrests  on  foreign  writs,  the  of- 
fender should  be  imprisoned  for  life  without  hope  of  par- 
don from  the  Governor,  unless  the  mayor  of  Nauvoo  con- 
sented. This  act  amounted  practically  to  the  setting  up 
of  a  separate  government  within  the  limits  of  our  state 
government  unprovided  for  by  our  constitution  and 
wholly  repugnant  to  the  groundwork  of  our  institutions. 
Smith  himself  tried  to  assume  the  most  autocratic  pre- 
rogatives. He  established  a  system  of  local  autocracy, 
created  a  recorder's  office  through  which  titles  were  to 
pass  and  monopolized  the  sale  of  liquors  to  himself  and 
even  went  so  far  as  to  announce  a  candidacy  for  the  presi- 
dency of  the  United  States.  These  high-handed  meas- 
ures divided  the  Mormons  themselves  into  factions.  One 
of  these  factions,  having  attempted  to  issue  a  newspaper 
in  order  to  make  the  outside  world  acquainted  with  the 
wrongs  that  were  being  perpetrated  in  Nauvoo,  had  the 
press  destroyed.  It  was  impossible  to  convict  anyone  in 
the  municipal  court  for  this  outrage.  In  June,  1844,  the 
Governor  having  been  requested  by  the  citizens  of  Car- 
thage in  the  county  of  Hancock,  where  Nauvoo  was  lo- 
cated, to  call  out  the  militia  to  assist  in  restoring  order, 
Governor  Ford  visited  the  county  in  person,  where  he  met 
a  considerable  armed  force  ready  to  aid  in  the  establish- 
ment of  legal  process.  Nearly  all  the  offenses  on  the 
calendar  of  crime  were  charged  against  the  Mormons, 
which,  of  course,  were  denied  by  them  under  the  pretext 
of  religious  persecution.  The  Governor  ordered  arrests 
to  be  made,  with  the  assurance  that  if  the  accused  sur- 


179 

rendered  they  would  be  guaranteed  a  fair  trial,  but  in 
case  of  resistance,  that  the  entire  state  militia  would  be 
called  into  requisition.  The  mayor  and  council  appeared 
and  entered  into  recognizances.  Joseph  Smith  and  his 
brother  Hiram  however  were  arrested  for  treason  and 
were  sent  to  the  county  jail  to  await  their  trial.  As  it 
was  reported  that  the  counterfeiting  of  money  was  being 
undertaken  in  Nauvoo,  the  Governor  was  asked  to  take 
the  militia  there  from  Carthage.  This  however  was  not 
done  and  the  troops  were  disbanded.  Three  companies 
were  allowed  to  remain,  some  of  whom  guarded  the  jail, 
the  Governor  himself  going  to  Nauvoo  to  make  a  personal 
inspection.  The  popular  feeling  was  one  of  extreme  hos- 
tility to  the  prisoners  and  as  soon  as  the  Governor  had 
left  Carthage,  a  force  was  organized  which  broke  into  the 
jail  and  at  the  first  volley  killed  Hiram  Smith,  the 
prophet's  brother.  Joseph  Smith,  the  so-called  prophet, 
although  making  a  determined  fight  in  his  vain  attempt  to 
escape,  was  soon  thereafter  riddled  with  bullets.  This  oc- 
currence did  not  allay  the  hostility  existing  between  Mor- 
mons and  Gentiles  and  led  to  further  strife  between  the 
contending  forces.  The  people  were  clamoring  for  the  ex- 
pulsion of,  what  they  considered,  a  disturbing  element 
from  the  state.  Thousands  of  citizens  were  preparing  to 
undertake  this  work  and  probably  would  have  done  so  had 
not  the  Governor  interfered.  Those  accused  of  being  im- 
plicated in  the  mobbing  of  the  Smiths  were  arraigned  and 
acquitted  in  1845.  As  the  successor  of  Joseph  Smith, 
Brigham  Young  succeeded  to  the  head  of  the  church.  The 
warfare  was  kept  up  until  through  the  intervention  of  the 


180 

Governor  an  agreement  was  arrived  at  by  which  the  Mor- 
mons were  to  leave  the  state  in  the  spring  of  1846.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  prior  thereto,  they  made  their  arrange- 
ments to  leave  and  by  the  middle  of  May  sixteen  thousand 
of  them  had  gone  on  their  way  to  the  great  west,  where 
finally  in  1847,  they  established  themselves  in  the  Great 
Salt  Lake  Valley. 

A  minor  portion  of  the  Mormons,  having  been  left  in 
this  state,  caused  some  further  disturbances  which  kept 
the  military  power  of  the  state  in  activity  until  order  was 
restored. 

Governor  Ford,  in  his  message,  had  recommended  con- 
ciliatory measures  with  reference  to  the  banks  and  in  har- 
mony with  his  recommendation,  a  compromise  bill  was 
passed  by  the  legislature  requiring  the  state  bank  and  the 
bank  at  Shawneetown  to  go  into  liquidation.  The  act  of 
1845  also  provided  for  the  completion  of  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal  and  to  this  end  it  provided  for  a  loan  of 
$1,600,000. 

The  financial  affairs  of  the  state  began  to  assume  a 
better  tone  and  on  the  whole  the  administration  of 
Governor  Ford  was  a  very  creditable  one.  In  his  his- 
tory, Ford  says,  "I  hope  to  be  excused  from  saying  any- 
thing in  these  memoirs  in  relation  to  my  own  personal 
quality  and  history.  If  it  should  ever  be  thought  import- 
ant that  a  knowledge  of  such  humble  matters  should  be 
perpetuated,  I  will  trust  the  task  of  doing  it  to  other 
hands.  "a  Although  his  historical  work  is  strongly 
tinged  with  the  partisanship  of  his  time  and  while  he 

a.     Ford,    Hist,    of    111.,    269. 


181 

himself  is  not  always  willing  to  render  an  account  of 
others  without  allowing  his  temper  to  come  to  the  surface, 
yet,  the  justice  of  history  must  accord  to  him  an  import- 
ant station  in  the  history  of  this  commonwealth. 

Under  this  administration  the  following  counties  were 
formed : 

Massac February    8,  1843.    Act  of  1843,  p.  74 

Moultrie "        16,    "  "  "          83 

Cumberland March  2,     "  "  "  94 

Pulaski "       3,    "  99 

The  uncertainty,  which  had  existed  for  a  long  time  in 
the  minds  of  many  of  the  people  in  the  northern  portion 
of  this  state,  as  to  whether  they  belonged  to  Illinois  or 
Wisconsin  was  definitely  settled  in  1846.  The  legisla- 
ture of  1830- '31  had  authorized  Governor  Reynolds  to  ap- 
point a  commissioner  to  mark  our  state  line  at  42°  30' 
north  latitude  and  John  Messenger,  an  early-time  sur- 
veyor, who  had  been  the  professor  of  mathematics  in 
Peck's  Seminary,  did  the  work.a  But  this  does  not  seem 
to  have  ended  the  controversy  between  the  state  of  Illinois 
and  the  territory  of  Wisconsin.  In  this  controversy  the 
sentiment  of  northern  Illinois  seemed  to  be  rather  in  favor 
of  the  Wisconsin  contention.  The  whole  affair  grew  out 
of  different  constructions  placed  upon  that  part  of  the  or- 
dinance of  1787,  which  provided,  on  the  score  of  expedi- 
ency, that  Congress  "shall  have  authority  to  form  one  or 
two  states  in  that  part  of  the  said  territory  which  lies 
north  of  an  east  and  west  line  drawn  through  the  souther- 
ly bend  or  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan. ' '  The  enabling  act 

a.    Reynolds,  My  Own  Times,   319. 


182 

for  the  admission  of  Illinois  in  1818,  by  which  Congress 
fixed  the  boundary  of  Illinois  at  42°  30',  ought  to  have 
been  decisive  enough.  But  the  agitation  was  continued 
on  account  of  the  disposition  of  the  leading  men  of  Wis- 
consin to  claim  all  they  could,  reinforced  by  a  strong 
northern  Illinois  sentiment,  which  arose  out  of  the  diver- 
sity of  immigrations — the  northern  Illinois  immigrants 
coming  from  New  England  and  the  southern  Illinois  im- 
migrants mainly  from  Kentucky  and  Virginia.  Meetings 
were  held  and  conventions  even  were  called  and  the  Wis- 
consin Territorial  Governor,  J.  D.  Doty,  was  conspicuously 
active  in  the  early  f orties,a  even  addressing  a  letter  to  the 
Governor  of  Illinois  with  regard  to  the  matter.b  The 
entire  dispute  was  set  at  rest  by  the  enabling  act  of  Con- 
gress of  August  sixth,  1846,  which  admitted  Wisconsin 
as  a  state  into  the  Union  and  through  which  the  bound- 
ary between  the  two  states  remained  at  42°  30'  north  lati- 
tude. 

Besides  the  foregoing  acts,  this  adminstration  was 
marked  by  the  outbreak  of  the  Mexican  War.  In  this 
event  of  national  importance,  Illinois  took  a  very  conspic- 
uous part.  Her  soldiers  were  in  the  forefront  of  the  most 
important  battles  fought  on  the  soil  of  Mexico.  Six  regi- 
ments were  contributed  to  the  service  with  General  James 
Shields  at  the  head  of  the  contingent. 

a.  Brown,  Hist,  of  111.,  353. 

b.  Moses,  111.  Hist,  and  Stat.,  279. 
Radebaugh,  The  Boundary  Dispute,  etc.,  137. 
Professor  William  Radebaugh  presented  a  very  exhaustive 

address  on  this  subject  before  the  Chicago  Historical 
Society  on  May  19,  1904. 


183 


MEXICAN  WAR. 

The  war  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico  was 
not  the  outgrowth  of  a  sudden  burst  of  passion.  The 
ultimatum  came  after  all  the  antecedent  happenings  had 
taken  place  in  the  channel  from  whence  at  last  the  inevit- 
able flows. 

After  having  floundered  through  the  darkness  of  three 
centuries  under  Spanish  rule,  the  country  known  as  New 
Spain  and  afterward  as  Mexico,  awakening  from  its  pas- 
sive state,  began  to  show  signs  of  revolt.  After  sixty- 
four  Spanish  viceroys  had  occupied  the  position  of  Gov- 
ernor over  this  province  and  had  imposed  that  autocratic 
power  upon  the  natives  which  eventually  drove  them  into 
restlessness,  at  length  the  spirit  of  discontent  became  a 
spirit  of  revolt.  The  standard  of  revolt  was  raised  in 
1810  at  Guanajuata  by  the  famous  revolutionist,  Hidalgo. 
Although  he  was  defeated  and  executed,  after  him  came 
Morelos.  He  in  turn  was  executed.  Then  came  the 
"Liberator."  Iturbide  proclaimed  the  independence  of  the 
nation  in  1821.  But  he  was  only  allowed  to  rule  by 
Spanish  recognition.  Independence  had  to  be  achieved 
again.  And  in  1822  Santa  Anna  proclaimed  the  Republic 
at  Vera  Cruz.  Iturbide  abdicated;  left;  returned;  was 
shot  in  1824.  For  the  next  decade  this  nation  witnessed 
contested  presidencies,  the  reaction  of  the  church,  the 
abolition  of  the  constitution  and  the  final  consolidation 
of  confederated  states  in  a  mongrel  republic,  with  Santa 
Armadas  its  President,  though  its  dictator  in  power  and 


184 

practice.  Texas,  which  had  belonged  to  Mexico  since  the 
Florida  and  Louisiana  purchases,  refused  to  submit.  In 
1836  she  seceded  from  the  Mexican  confederacy  and  under 
the  leadership  of  as  brave  a  set  of  men  as  ever  marched  to 
war  she  achieved  her  independence.  At  the  Alamo,  the 
first  great  blow  was  struck  which  was  avenged  on  the  San 
Jacinto's  banks,  where  Santa  Anna  was  captured  but  re- 
leased upon  the  guarantee  that  Texas  freedom  should  be- 
recognized.  Then  Texas  became  a  republic  and  was 
recognized  by  the  United  States  in  1837  and  then  by  Bel- 
gium, France  and  England.  Mexico  still  continued  to 
commit  depredations  on  our  trade  although  in  1831  she 
had  agreed  to  cease.  The  United  States  and  Mexican 
commissioners  met  for  the  purpose  of  squaring  accounts. 
This  was  in  1840.  By  this  time  their  depredations  aggre- 
gated in  the  neighborhood  of  $6,000,000.  Their  own  com- 
missioners themselves  acknowledged  $2,000,000.  Three 
years  later  they  acknowledged  it  all,  thereby  admitting 
their  guilt  and  piracy.  The  promise  was  made  to  pay  in 
$300,000  installments.  They  paid  three  of  these  and  then 
refused  to  pay  the  balance.  This  was  the  situation  in 
1845.  This  was  the  relationship  existing  when  the  matter 
of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  United  States  came  up. 
It  was  therefore  not  the  subsequent  annexation  alone  that 
produced  the  Mexican  "War,  but  principally  the  antece- 
dent thefts  committed  by  Mexican  pirates  on  the  seas,  the 
refusal  to  treat  and  make  redress,  the  consent  later  to  a 
treaty  by  commissioners,  but  also  its  willful  violation 
after  it  was  made.  In  the  war  which  resulted  and  in 
which  a  hundred  thousand  American  patriots  took  a  part, 
Illinois  furnished  six  regiments  with  General  Shields  at 
the  head. 


185 


GENERAL  JAMES  SHIELDS. 

Shields  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1810.  He  came  to  this 
country  when  a  mere  lad  and  during  the  more  than  half 
century  of  his  stay,  till  his  death  upon  American  soil,  be- 
came to  all  intents  and  purposes  as  much  an  American  as 
if  he  had  been  native  born.  In  1832  he  settled  in  old  Kas- 
kaskia  and  entered  on  the  practice  of  the  law.  Old  Kas- 
kaskia  had  been  the  territorial  and  state  seat  of  govern- 
ment. It  still  retained  its  potency  as  the  center  of  refine- 
ment or  the  ' '  Paris  of  the  West. ' '  For  more  than  a  cen- 
tury it  had  been  the  military,  civil,  and  literary  center  of 
the  Mississippi  valley.  It  was  here  that  the  beginnings 
of  our  history  were  made.  It  was  here  that  the  founda- 
tions of  our  commonwealth  were  laid.  It  was  the  Mecca 
for  all  who  crossed  the  Alleghanies.  It  had  encouraged 
immigration.  It  had  contributed  the  larger  share  of  the 
intellectual  giants,  among  the  pioneer  great  men,  to  the 
public  service.  It  had  installed  Shadrach  Bond  as  the 
first  Governor  of  our  state  and  had  entertained  a  distin- 
guished foreign  champion  of  the  rights  of  man,  and  friend 
of  American  liberty,  in  the  person  of  La  Fayette.  It 
was  to  this  olden  capital  with  the  halo  of  its  former 
pomp  still  hovering  about  it  that  Shields  came  to 
settle.  Endowed  with  physical  and  mental  vigor,  with 
brilliancy  and  genius,  he  soon  rose  from  station  to 
station.  He  became  a  member  of  the  legislature,  auditor 
of  state,  judge  of  the  supreme  court  and  commissioner  of 


186 

the  United  States  Land  Office.  He  was  in  the  vigor  of 
his  youth  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  when  the  Mexican  War 
broke  out.  At  the  outbreak  he  volunteered  and  became 
the  Brigadier-General  of  the  Illinois  contingent.  For 
more  than  a  year  the  conflict  lasted.  In  the  north  of 
Mexico  from  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma  westward 
to  Monterey  the  intrepid  fighters  marched,  and  then  across 
and  down  to  Saltillo,  Victoria  and  Tampico  until  they 
routed  Santa  Anna  on  the  field  of  Buena  Vista.  In  the 
south  of  Mexico,  the  conquering  host  mowed  a  swath  of 
glory  from  the  bay  of  Vera  Cruz  until  they  reached  the 
heart  and  center  and  camped  within  the  capital  of  Mex- 
ico. In  this  march  and  at  the  fight  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
Shields  was  wounded.  A  canister  ball  passed  through 
one  of  his  lungs.  In  fact,  passed  entirely  through  his 
body  from  the  front,  coming  out  at  the  back,  below  his 
shoulder  blade.  His  comrades  carried  him  away  to  die 
as  they  feared.  But  a  silk  handkerchief  was  drawn 
through  the  wound  and  he  recovered  and  lived  to  repre- 
sent three  states  successively  in  the  United  States  Senate 
Chamber.  He  was  mustered  out  in  1848  and  was  offered 
the  Governorship  of  Oregon  Territory  but  declined  and 
was  elected  United  States  Senator  from  Illinois.  He 
served  till  the  close  of  his  term  in  1855  and  then  moved  to 
Minnesota  where  on  the  admission  of  that  state  he  became 
her  United  State  Senator.  From  there  he  went  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1860.  The  Civil  War  broke  out  and  he  volun- 
teered. Became  again  a  Brigadier  and  showed  again  his 
bravery,  for  none  more  fearless  rode  through  the  Valley  of 
the  Shenandoah.  From  California  he  went  to  Missouri  and 
Missouri  honored  him  and  herself  by  electing  him  as  her 
United  States  Senator.  He  died  in  1879  at  Ottumwa,  Iowa. 


187 


FRENCH  1846-1849-1853. 

On  December  ninth,  1846,* Augustus  C.  French  was  in- 
augurated as  Governor.  The  proposition  to  call  a  con- 
stitutional convention  had  been  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
people  and  ratified.  While  the  Governor's  inaugural 
dealt  with  matters  affecting  the  completion  of  the  canal 
and  the  school  law  as  his  most  important  suggestions,  a 
large  part  of  public  attention  was  occupied  with  the  re- 
vision of  the  constitution.  The  constitutional  convention 
made  its  revision  from  June  seventh,  1847,  to  August 
thirty-first,  1847,  after  which  it  was  submitted  to  a  vote 
of  the  people  on  March  sixth,  1848,  and  ratified.  Inas- 
much as  the  term  of  the  Governor,  through  the  act  of  this 
convention  and  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  had  been 
somewhat  curtailed,  it  was  felt  due  him  that  he  should  be 
re-elected  and  hence  it  was  that  at  the  first  gubernatorial 
election  held  after  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution, 
he  received  practically  the  whole  vote.  On  January 
eighth,  1849,  he  was  re-inaugurated.  During  his  admin- 
istrations the  following  counties  were  formed : 

Saline February  25,  1847.    Act  of  1847,  p.  34 

Kankakee "         11,1851.        "        1851,       30 

The  constitution  of  1848  provided  that  "no  state  bank 
shall  hereafter  be  created." 

In  1850  the  population  was  851,470. 

The  legislature  of  1851  passed  an  act  for  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  Illinois  Central  Eailroad  Company. 


188 


THE  ILLINOIS  CENTRAL  RAILROAD. 

In  1850  Congress  granted  lands  in  aid  of  the  construc- 
tion of  a  railroad  from  Chicago  to  Mobile.  After  this 
grant,  the  legislature  of  Illinois  incorporated  the  "Illinois 
Central  Railroad  company,  "a  which  was  to  build  a  rail- 
road from  ' '  the  southern  terminus  of  the  Illinois  and  Mich- 
igan canal,  to  a  point  at  the  city  of  Cairo, ' '  with  branches. 
Alternate  sections,  for  six  miles  in  width  on  each  side  of 
the  road,  were  ceded  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  through  the 
sale  of  these  lands.  This  act  of  the  legislature,  passed 
at  the  session  of  1851,  formulated  terms  for  the  construc- 
tion of  this  road.  In  pursuance  of  these  enactments,  a 
company  took  hold,  agreeing  to  build  the  road  within  the 
time  limit  stated  by  law  and  to  pay  seven  per  cent  of  its 
gross  earnings.  The  road  and  its  branches  were  com- 
pleted before  the  close  of  1856.  The  matter  was  taken 
hold  of  in  earnest  and'  the  seven  hundred  miles  of  this 
early  gigantic  system  were  built  in  the  space  of  five  years. 
Two  and  one  half  millions  of  acres,  approximately,  were 
embraced  in  the  congressional  grant  and  these  were  nearly 
all  sold  to  actual  settlers.  As  the  outcome  of  this  great 
plan,  the  state  became  the  recipient  of  an  annual  revenue 
of  seven  per  cent  on  the  gross  earnings  of  a  profitable 
business  enterprise  and  its  wild  lands  became  the  homes  of 
thousands  of  settlers  who  have  contributed  to  the  up- 
building of  the  state. 

a.     Act  of  1851,  p.  61. 


189 


MATTESON  1853-1857. 

In  January,  1853,  Joel  A.  Matteson  was  inaugurated  as 
Governor.  The  legislature  on  February  twelfth  passed 
an  act  "to  prevent  the  immigration  of  free  negroes.  "a 
The  succeeding  legislature  is  to  be  commended  for  a  more 
meritorious  proceeding  in  the  adoption  of  "An  act  to  es- 
tablish and  maintain  a  uniform  system  of  common 
schools."  The  history  of  the  state,  under  this  admin- 
istration, is  that  of  an  era  of  prosperity  following  on,  the 
heels  of  former  financial  depressions  resultant  from  wild 
financial  policies  and  preceding  financial  depressions  that 
again  came  soon  thereafter.  The  struggles  of  politicians 
occupied  the  theatre  of  public  life  and  in  this  state,  as  in 
every  other  state  in  the  Union,  matters  of  local  importance 
were  dwarfed  in  the  discussion  of  questions  affecting  na- 
tional politics.  Illinois  was  full  of  rising  and  ambitious 
statesmen  and  this  period  more  than  any  other  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  state  was  marked  by  political  discussions  and 
wranglings.  Many  of  those,  who  in  later  years  became 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation,  were  then  engaged 
in  measuring  forensic  swords  on  political  battle-fields  in 
this  state.  Party  leaders  and  party  followers  were 
beginning  to  make  different  party  alignments.  The 
Lincolns  and  Douglases  were  appearing  upon  the 
scene  and  preliminary  skirmishes  were  taking  place 
that  led  to  greater  contests  later.  In  the  midst 
of  all  this  came  the  birth  of  a  new  party  in  1856. 

a.    Act  of  1853,  p.  67.     See  ante  p.  158. 


190 


BISSELL  AND   WOOD   1857-1861. 

On  January  twelfth,  1857,  William  H.  Bissell  was  in- 
augurated as  Governor.  He  had  been  in  the  Mexican 
War  as  the  Colonel  of  the  Second  Illinois  Regiment  of  Vol- 
unteers. After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  three  times 
elected  to  Congress.  The  sectional  feeling  between  north 
and  south  was  then  already  growing.  In  response  to  a 
speech  made  by  a  member  from  the  south,  who  had  at- 
tacked the  conduct  of  the  northern  troops  on  the  field  of 
Buena  Vista  where  an  Indiana  regiment  had  given  way, 
he  made  an  impassioned  reply;  he  defended  the  northern 
troops  and  showed  how  his  own  regiment  and  others  were 
on  hand  before  the  Mississippi  regiment,  which  was  claim- 
ed to  have  come  to  the  rescue,  took  part  in  the  conflict. 
At  this,  Jefferson  Davis  pretended  to  feel  aggrieved  and 
sent  a  challenge  which  Bissell  accepted.  But  through  the 
intervention  of  friends  all  further  trouble  was  averted 
and  as  stated  in  the  Washington  Union  of  February  twen- 
ty-eighth, 1850,  the  matter  was  ' '  Most  honorably  adjusted 
to  the  gratification  and  entire  satisfaction  of  their  mutual 
friends. ' ' 

During  his  administration  the  building  of  another  pen- 
itentiary was  provided  for  and  also  the  establishment  of  a 
Normal  University. 

During  this  administration  the  following  counties  were 
formed : 


191 

Douglas February  13,  1857.  Act  of  1857,  p.  71 

Ford "  17,  1859.  "  1859,  29 

Since  which  time  no  other  counties  have  been  formed 
and  the  creation  of  Ford  County,  as  the  last  in  the  series, 
completed  the  rounding  out  of  the  county  system  in  the 
state. 

Bissell  died  on  March  eighteenth,  1860,  before  the  end 
of  his  term,  and  the  unexpired  term  was  filled  by  Lieuten- 
ant-Governor  John  Wood. 

During  this  period  two  great  political  giants  appeared 
upon  the  scene  and  engrossed  popular  attention.  In  fact 
the  political  debates  between  Lincoln  and  Douglas  at- 
tracted national  interest. 

The  population  in  1860  was  1,711,951. 


192 


LINCOLN  AND   DOUGLAS. 

The  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  in  1854  brought 
Abraham  Lincoln  into  prominence.  He  entered  with  all 
his  force  into  the  discussion  of  the  repeal.  He  opposed 
it.  In  fact  he  led  the  opposition.  His  activity  secured 
him  the  leadership.  In  1856  the  Republican  party  was 
organized.  Lincoln  was  present  at  the  birth  of  the  new 
party.  As  one  of  the  organizers,  he  stood  by  and  helped 
to  rock  the  infant  of  republicanism  in  the  free  soil  cradle 
of  a  growing  public  sentiment. 

Douglas  was  a  United  States  Senator  and  became  a 
candidate  for  re-election  in  1858.  Lincoln  was  desig- 
nated by  the  new  party  as  the  opposing  candidate.  A 
challenge  to  enter  into  a  public  debate  was  sent  to  Doug- 
las and  finally  the  terms  were  arranged  for  the  memorable 
contest  which  extended  from  Freeport  in  the  north  to 
Jonesboro  in  the  south.  During  the  discussion  Lincoln 
never  went  farther  than  to  insist  that  slavery  should  be 
put  "in  course  of  ultimate  extinction."  As  Love  joy  had 
at  one  time  spoken  of  "gradual  emancipation"  so  Lincoln 
dreamed  of  "ultimate  extinction."  But  the  course  of 
events  forced  Love  joy  to  widen  his  sphere  of  agitation 
and  the  course  of  events  dispelled  the  dream  of  Lincoln, 
when  in  its  very  midst  he  awakened  to  its  realization. 

In  the  contest  of  1858  Douglas  won.      In  1860  he  was 


193 

named  as  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  the  presidency. 
Lincoln  was  again  designated  as  his  opponent.  In  this 
contest  Lincoln  won.  Douglas  was  beaten  through  a  di- 
vision in  his  own  party.  The  Civil  War  came  on  in  which 
Lincoln  became  the  great  central  figure  of  that  four  years' 
conflict,  in  which  the  irrepressible  course  of  events  brought 
about  the  "ultimate  extinction"  of  slavery.  For  in  order 
to  sooner  suppress  the  rebellion  the  Emancipation  Proc- 
lamation was  issued  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1863. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Civil  War  these  two  great 
figures  that  had  all  along  been  political  opponents  stood 
side  by  side  for  the  constitution  and  the  preservation  of 
the  Union.  Unfortunately,  Douglas  died  in  the  summer 
of  1861  and  in  his  death  the  patriots  lost  one  of  their 
ablest  defenders,  for  he  believed  in 

' '  The  Union  of  Lakes,  The  Union  of  Lands, 
The  Union  of  States  none  can  sever, 

The  Union  of  Hearts,  The  Union  of  Hands, 
And  the  Flag  of  our  Union  forever ! ' ' 

The  war  continued  with  varying  successes  till  its  close. 
Lincoln  quietly  directed  its  destiny.  After  his  real  work 
had  been  performed  and  the  closing  days  of  the  conflict 
had  been  assured  it  seemed  a  strange  decree  of  Fate  that 
he  should  not  live  to  see  the  final  fruition  of  his  patriotic 
prayers.  Lee  had  surrendered.  Johnston  was  still  in 
the  field  but  soon  to  be  conquered.  Before  this  last  act 
closed  the  drama,  the  great  central  figure  was  removed 
from  the  scene  of  action  by  an  assassin's  bullet,  leaving, 
however, 

' '  One  of  the  few,  the  immortal  names, 
That  were  not  born  to  die, ' ' 


194 

while  he  who  bore  it  in  his  lifetime  now  is  sleeping  in  his 
coffined  bed  at  Springfield,  underneath  a  great  mausoleum 
which  every  eye  regards  with  reverence  and  to  which  there 
comes  a  never-ending  stream  of  pilgrims  bringing  offer- 
ings to  the  tomb  of  Lincoln. 


195 


YATES   1861-1865— CIVIL  WAR. 

On  January  fourteenth,  1861,  Richard  Yates  was  in- 
augurated as  Governor. 

The  most  important  act  passed  during  the  first  session 
of  the  legislature  was  one  for  the  protection  of  married 
women  in  their  separate  property. 

As  the  Civil  War  period  was  now  on  hand,  public  senti- 
ment and  official  life  were  busy  with  the  treatment  of  na- 
tional questions  rather  than  local  ones.  As  some  of  the 
states  were  threatening  secession,  the  Governor's  message 
devoted  much  attention  to  this  matter,  insisting  upon  the 
indissolubility  of  the  government.  Virginia  called  for  a 
peace  conference  at  Washington  and  Illinois  among  other 
states  responded  by  the  appointment  of  commissioners. 
The  efforts  of  this  peace  conference  however  failed  and  the 
Civil  War  came  on.  While  the  legislative  sessions  were 
constantly  harassed  with  discussions  on  the  all-important 
topic  of  the  war,  there  was  a  practical  unanimity  of  senti- 
ment throughout  the  state  in  favor  of  the  prosecution  of 
the  war  and  the  maintenance  of  the  Union.  Illinois  gave 
Lincoln  to  the  nation  as  its  President  and  elected  a  patriot 
who  became  our  War  Governor.  The  state  contributed 
to  the  military  service  during  the  war  259,092  soldiers.  It 
also  contributed  Grant  who  became  the  leader  of  all  the 
Union  forces  in  the  conflict  and  Logan,  a  native  Illinoisan, 
who  was  looked  upon  as  the  greatest  representative  of  the 

vol- 


196 

unteer  soldiery.  In  the  midst  of  all  the  excitement  at- 
tendant upon  the  war  situation,  an  attempt  to  amend  our 
state  constitution  was  made.  A  constitutional  convention 
was  held  in  the  early  part  of  1862  but  when  the  instrument 
which  was  prepared  was  submitted  to  the  people  it  was 
rejected  by  an  overwhelming  vote.  The  succeeding  legis- 
lature met  under  circumstances  when  the  war  feeling  was 
at  a  still  greater  tension.  While  the  people  as  a  whole 
were  undoubtedly  loyal,  there  were  those  both  in  public 
and  in  private  life  who  were  ready  to  throw  obstacles  in 
the  way  of  the  war's  progress.  Many  of  the  members  of 
this  legislature  were  guilty  of  conduct  which  might  be 
characterized,  to  put  the  matter  mildly,  as  an  approach  to 
disloyalty.  The  President's  Emancipation  Proclamation 
gave  umbrage  to  such  members  and  they  denounced  the 
President  and  his  course  in  their  speeches;  resolutions 
were  framed  denunciatory  of  nearly  everything  and  every- 
body connected  with  the  war,  until  the  Governor  finally, 
tiring  of  this  session  which  was  bringing  nothing  but 
odium  upon  the  state,  prorogued  the  legislature  on  June 
tenth,  1863. 


197 


OGLESBY  1865-1869. 

On  January  sixteenth,  1865,  Richard  J.  Oglesby  was  in- 
augurated as  Governor. 

January  thirty-first,  1865,  a  joint  resolution  of  Con- 
gress, which  had  passed  the  Senate  some  time  previously, 
passed  the  House,  proposing  the  thirteenth  amendment  to 
the  national  constitution,  providing  that  slavery  should 
not  exist  in  the  United  States.  Being  sanctioned  by  the 
President  the  next  day,  the  news  was  at  once  sent  to  the 
various  states  of  the  country  and  the  legislature  of  this 
state  by  its  prompt  action  placed  Illinois  in  a  position  of 
being  the  first  state  to  ratify  the  amendment.  And  this 
act  furnished  the  concluding  chapter  to  the  question  of 
slavery  in  our  state. 

January  fifteenth,  1867,  the  fourteenth  amendment  to 
the  national  constitution  was  ratified  by  Illinois.  This 
amendment  conferred  citizenship  without  regard  to  color. 

Another  measure  which  received  attention  by  this  legis- 
lature was  the  location  of  an  Agricultural  or  Industrial 
College.  The  place  selected  was  Urbana.  Congress  had 
made  donations  of  lands  to  the  several  states  for  this  pur- 
pose, of  which  Illinois  received  nearly  a  half  million  acres. 

Futile  attempts  were  made  to  remove  the  state  capital 
but  by  act  of  February  twenty-fifth,  1867,  a  new  State 
House  was  provided  for,  the  cost  of  which  was  to  be  lim- 
ited to  $3,000,000,  and  the  capital  remained  at  Springfield. 


198 


PALMER  1869-1873. 

On  January  eleventh,  1869,  John  M.  Palmer  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor. 

On  March  fifth,  the  fifteenth  amendment  to  the  na- 
tional constitution  was  ratified  by  the  legislature.  The 
legislature  of  1867  had  submitted  to  the  electors  of  the 
state  the  question  of  calling  a  convention  for  the  purpose 
of  framing  a  new  state  constitution.  This  convention 
met  December  thirteenth,  1869.  The  most  important 
change  made  in  the  fundamental  law  prohibits  the  matter 
of  special  legislation  which  theretofore  had  been  the  prin- 
cipal business  which  occupied  legislative  sessions.  This 
constitution  was  ratified  by  the  people  July  second,  1870. 
In  this  year  the  population  had  grown  to  2,539,891.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1871,  the  great  Chicago  fire  occurred,  out  of 
which  there  grew  a  disagreement  between  the  state  and 
federal  authorities.  The  local  authorities  of  Chicago  and 
the  business  interests  had  called  for  assistance  to  aid  them 
in  the  protection  of  their  property.  This  aid  was  fur- 
nished by  the  federal  troops  which  was  resented  by  Gov- 
ernor Palmer  on  the  score  that  the  authorities  of  the  state 
were  amply  able  to  furnish  such  protection.  The  con- 
troversy was  carried  on  between  the  Governor  and  Presi- 
dent Grant,  in  which  the  Governor  was  indorsed  by  one 
branch  of  the  legislature  for  his  stand,  while  at  the  same 
time  exonerating  the  military  from  any  wrong  intent,  the 
Senate  taking  no  action,  and  the  incident  became  closed 
except  in  so  far  as  it  furnished  a  precedent  for  the  adher- 
ents of  both  opposing  views. 


199 


CHICAGO  AND  THE  CHICAGO  FIRE. 

The  birth  of  the  great  city  of  Chicago  may  be  said  to 
date  back  to  the  winter  of  1674,  when  Marquette,  on  his 
return  from  his  mission  station  at  St.  Ignace  to  visit  the 
Kaskaskia  Indians  on  the  Illinois  river,  made  a  stop  near 
the  Chicago  river  and  with  his  companions  built  a  cabin 
where  he  wintered  until  the  following  spring.  This  was 
the  first  home  of  the  white  man  in  Illinois,  from  which  also 
dates  the  beginning  of  Chicago.  After  the  discovery,  the 
site  of  Chicago,  in  a  few  years,  became  an  Indian  trading 
post.  In  1804  Fort  Dearborna  was  established  by  the 
United  States  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  river  on  the 
south  side.  Here  occurred  an  Indian  massacre  in  the 
war  of  1812. 

In  1823  Beck  called  Chicago  "a  village  of  Pike  Coun- 
ty," with  a  population  of  sixty  or  seventy .b 

"The  original  plat  of  Chicago covered  less  than 

half  a  square  mile, ' '  on  August  fourth,  1830.° 

"In  1832  it  contained  five  small  stores,  and  250  inhab- 
itants."4 

In  1837  it  was  incorporated  into  a  city  by  the  legis- 
lature. 

a.  See  ante  106. 

b.  Beck,  Gazetteer  of  111.  and  Mo.,100.      See  ante  118. 

c.  Moses,  111.  Hist,   and   Stat,  Vol.   II,   940. 

d.  Peck,  Gazetteer  of  111.,  179. 


200 

The  census  of  1870  showed  its  population  to  have  been 
298,977. 

Late  on  Sunday  evening,  the  eighth  of  October,  1871, 
a  stable  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire  in  a  portion  of  the 
city  about  half  a  mile  southwest  of  the  main  business  por- 
tion. The  fire  was  soon  communicated  to  the  neighboring 
buildings  and  a  strong  southwest  wind  rapidly  blew  the 
conflagration  toward  the  very  heart  of  the  city.  The 
work  of  fiery  devastation  continued  from  8 :45  o  'clock  that 
evening,  when  it  started,  through  the  night  and  into  the 
next  day  until  $200,000,000  worth  of  property  had  been 
destroyed  and  one  hundred  thousand  people  rendered 
homeless,  while  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  women  and 
children  lost  their  lives  in  the  terrible  holocaust.  The 
world  at  once  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  stricken  city 
in  its  dire  distress  and  the  legislature  of  the  state  reim- 
bursed the  city  for  its  expenditure  on  the  canal  to  the 
amount  of  nearly  $3,000,000. 

A  most  vivid  description  of  this  catastrophe  was  pub- 
lished in  1892  written  by  Reverend  David  Swing,  a  very 
celebrated  Chicago  minister. 


201 


OGLESBY  AND  BEVERIDGE  1873-1877. 

On  January  thirteenth,  1873,  Richard  J.  Oglesby  was 
inaugurated  as  Governor  for  his  second  term.  Being 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  on  January  twenty- 
first  he  resigned  his  office  on  January  twenty-third  and 
John  Lowrie  Beveridge  became  Governor.  The  history 
of  the  state  under  this  administration  consisted  mainly  of 
sporadic  attempts  on  the  part  of  various  religious,  politi- 
cal and  social  reform  elements  to  engraft  their  views  upon 
the  public.  The  liquor  question,  the  regulation  of  rail- 
roads, the  organization  of  granges  and  farmers'  clubs  and 
the  effort  to  establish  so-called  reform  parties  in  politics ; 
these  all  came  in  for  their  share  of  public  attention.  A 
general  revision  of  the  laws  was  made  and  some  new  ones 
of  a  necessary  nature  were  added.  A  commission  was  pro- 
vided and  placed  in  charge  of  Illinois  interests  at  the 
Philadelphia  Centennial  Exposition  of  1876  and  for  this 
purpose  ten  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated.  The 
closing  part  of  the  administration  was  occupied  with  the 
political  excitement  attendant  on  the  great  political  cam- 
paign of  1876. 


202 


CULLOM  1877-1881. 

On  January  eighth,  1877,  Shelby  M.  Cullom  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor.  In  his  inaugural  he  advised  amend- 
ing the  clumsy  revenue  laws  of  the  state.  Senator  John 
A.  Logan,  whose  term  was  to  expire  on  the  fourth  of 
March  in  the  first  year  of  this  administration,  became  in- 
volved in  a  contest  for  re-election.  On  account  of  the 
independent  movements  which  had  been  fashionable  under 
the  preceding  administration,  enough  independent  mem- 
bers had  been  elected  to  the  legislature  to  hold  the  balance 
of  power  so  that  as  a  result  neither  of  the  prominent  can- 
didates of  the  two  leading  political  parties  was  successful. 
The  long  contest  resulted  in  the  election  of  Judge  David 
Davis  on  the  fortieth  ballot  as  Logan's  successor. 

A  great  railroad  strike  occurred  in  July,  1877;  while 
the  head  center  was  at  Pittsburg  yet  its  various  branches 
extended  to  other  states.  In  Illinois,  Chicago  and  the 
larger  railroad  and  manufacturing  and  mining  centers  be- 
came involved  in  the  strike.  As  disturbances  took  place 
at  some  of  these  points,  troops  were  called  for  to  preserve 
order  and  the  military  force  of  the  state  was  ordered  out. 
In  the  course  of  a  week  order  was  again  restored  and  busi- 
ness began  to  enter  upon  its  usual  channels. 

During  the  last  year  of  this  administration  the  popula- 
tion had  grown  to  3,077,871  as  shown  by  the  census  of 
1880. 


CULLOM  AND  HAMILTON  1881-1885. 

At  the  election  of  1880  Cullom  was  re-elected  and  on 
January  tenth,  1881,  he  was  re-inaugurated  as  Governor. 
His  message  was  largely  devoted  to  the  matter  of  the  ces- 
sion of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  to  the  United 
States.  The  legislature  failing  to  act  however  on  this 
subject  and  also  having  failed  to  reapportion  the  state  into 
congressional  and  legislative  districts,  he  reconvened  it  in 
special  session  in  March,  1882,  to  carry  out  these  purposes. 
At  this  session  the  state  was  re  apportioned  and  an  act  was 
passed  with  reference  to  the  cession  of  the  canal  by  which 
provision  was  made  to  submit  the  matter  to  a  vote  of  the 
people  in  November  of  that  year  which  was  ratified.  The 
Governor's  message  to  the  legislature  at  the  special  session 
on  the  subject  of  the  canal  was  characterized  by  such  a 
business-like  directness  that  it  deserved  not  alone  the  at- 
tention of  the  legislature  to  which  it  was  addressed,  but 
deserves  the  attention  of  the  entire  nation  for  years  to 
come  until  a  deep  water-way  shall  have  been  furnished 
through  the  center  of  our  country.  On  the  general  sub- 
ject of  transportation  the  Governor  said :  "I  believe  that 
the  most  important  work  is  the  improvement  of  our  rivers, 
lakes  and  canals,  and  the  construction  of  such  new 
canals  as  will  unite  the  waters,  and  whenever  it  can  reason- 
ably be  done,  shorten  distances  for  the  transportation 
of  freights.  The  government  in  the  past  has  contributed 


204 

many  millions  of  dollars  and  millions  of  acres  of  the  public 
domain  in  aid  of  the  construction  of  railroads  across  the 
continent,  and  in  different  portions  of  the  undeveloped 
territory  of  the  United  States.  It  should  now  direct  its 
expenditures  to  utilizing  the  waters  of  the  country  in  the 
interest  of  cheap  transportation. '  'a 

On  January  sixteenth,  1883,  Cullom  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  Senate.  Lieutenant  Governor  John  Marshall 
Hamilton  succeeded  to  the  office  of  Governor  on  Cullom's 
resignation  on  February  seventh. 

The  legislature  of  1883  passed  the  Harper  high  license 
law  which  provides  for  the  payment  of  not  less  than  $500 
per  annum  for  the  keeping  of  dram  shops  and  not  less  than 
$150  for  the  sale  of  malt  liquors  only. 

a.  Governor's  .  Message  to  Special  Session  Thirty-second 
General  Assembly,  p.  4. 


205 


OGLESBY  1885-1889. 

On  January  thirteenth,  1885,  Richard  J.  Oglesby  was 
sworn  in  for  the  third  time  as  Governor.  The  most  ex- 
citing political  event  of  this  period  was  the  election  of  a 
United  States  Senator  as  the  successor  of  Senator  Logan, 
who  was  a  candidate  for  re-election.  On  account  of  the 
closeness  of  the  vote  between  the  parties  in  the  legislature 
much  time  was  taken  up  until  the  death  of  one  of  the  mem- 
bers in  whose  place  a  successor  of  the  opposite  political 
faith  was  chosen.  Logan  had  all  along  lacked  one  vote 
of  the  requisite  number  to  secure  an  election  and  through 
this  change  he  secured  sufficient  strength  to  be  again 
elected. 

A  legislative  enactment  secured  the  establishment  of  a 
Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home  which  was  located  at  Quincy. 

An  event  of  great  consequence  occurred  on  the  night 
of  May  fourth,  1886.  A  meeting  was  held  in  the  Hay 
Market  Square  in  Chicago  at  which  the  eight-hour  day  was 
under  consideration.  On  the  approach  of  the  police  for 
the  purpose  of  dispersing  the  crowd,  a  bomb  was  thrown 
from  the  crowd  and  through  the  explosion  seven  policemen 
were  killed  and  many  were  wounded.  Mathias  Degan  was 
one  of  the  policemen  killed  and  for  this  an  indictment  was 
found  against  eight  men  who  were  tried  and  found  guilty 
and  sentenced  to  be  hanged  with  the  exception  of  one  who 

se- 


206 

cured  a  sentence  of  fifteen  years  imprisonment.  The 
matter  was  appealed  but  affirmed  by  the  Supreme  Court  in 
the  fall  of  1887.  One  of  the  defendants  committed  suicide, 
while  the  sentences  of  two  others  were  commuted  by  the 
Governor  to  life  imprisonment  and  four  were  hanged  on 
November  eleventh,  1887. 


207 


FIFER  1889-1893. 

On  January  fourteenth,  1889,  Joseph  Wilson  Fifer  was 
inaugurated  as  Governor. 

On  November  twenty-fifth,  1889,  the  Illinois  State  His- 
torical Library  was  organized. 

The  drainage  legislation  which  took  place  during  this 
administration  was  a  most  vital  move  affecting  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  the  state  and  resulted  in  the  creation 
of  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  and  the  construction  of 
the  Drainage  Canal. 

After  Congress  had  decided  to  celebrate  the  four  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  this  continent  by 
Columbus  and  Chicago  had  been  selected  as  the  site  for  the 
celebration,  the  Governor  was  requested  by  the  Chicago 
authorities  to  convene  a  special  session  of  the  legislature 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  steps  with  a  view  to  aiding  this 
undertaking.  The  session  was  held  in  the  summer  of  1890 
and  granted  such  authority  to  the  World 's  Columbian  Ex- 
position as  was  deemed  necessary  to  enable  it  to  carry  out 
the  purposes  intended  by  the  movement  set  on  foot  for  the 
celebration;  among  other  things  submitting  a  constitu- 
tional amendment  to  the  people  enabling  Chicago  on  a  vote 
of  its  electors  to  issue  $5,000,000  in  bonds  whereof  the  pro- 
ceeds might  be  devoted  to  Exposition  purposes. 

The  population  of  the  state  in  1890  was  3,826,351. 


ALTGELD  1893-1897. 

In  January,  1893,  John  P.  Altgeld  was  inaugurated  as 
Governor.  He  was  the  first  foreign-born  Governor  of  the 
state.  He  was  born  in  Germany  in  1848.  He  came  to 
this  country  when  a  mere  boy  and  was  reared  on  a  farm  in 
Ohio.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  went  into  the  Union  army 
and  after  the  war  taught  school  until  he  adopted  the  law 
as  a  profession.  He  practiced  in  Missouri  till  1875,  when 
he  moved  to  Chicago  and  identified  himself  thereafter  with 
Illinois  affairs. 

Among  the  acts  of  this  administration  which  attracted 
the  most  attention  and  provoked  the  greatest  discussion 
was  the  pardoning  of  the  three  men  who  were  in  prison  for 
the  affair  which  occurred  on  the  Hay  Market  in  May,  1886. 
Four  of  those  who  had  been  charged  with  complicity  in 
that  occurrence  had  been  hanged  in  1887,  one  had  commit- 
ted suicide,  two  had  their  sentences  commuted  from  the 
death  sentence  to  life  imprisonment  by  Governor  Oglesby 
and  one  had  received  an  original  sentence  of  fifteen  years. 
These  last  three  were  serving  time  when  on  June  twenty- 
sixth,  1893,  Governor  Altgeld  granted  them  an  absolute 
pardon.  Petitions  signed  by  many  thousands  of  citizei 
of  all  classes  and  occupations  had  been  sent  to  the  Gov- 
ernor praying  for  executive  clemency.  In  granting  the 
pardon  he  gives  his  reasons  for  so  doing  and  enters  into 
exhaustive  review  of  the  history  of  the  whole  matter 
well  as  the  legal  phases  involved.  During  this  adminis 
tration  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  took  place  01 
Illinois  soil. 


209 


THE  WORLD'S  COLUMBIAN  EXPOSITION. 

The  movement  for  the  celebration  of  the  four  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  the  continent  by 
Columbus  had  its  origin  in  Illinois.  The  initial  step  was 
taken  several  years  prior  to  the  time  when  the  anniversary 
would  occur  and  the  movement  was  kept  alive  from  time  to 
time  by  various  Chicago  clubs,  which  interested  themselves 
until  in  1889  the  city  council  of  Chicago  authorized  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  of  prominent  citizens  whose 
business  it  was  to  keep  alive  the  agitation  and  see  to  it 
that  if  a  World's  Fair  would  be  held,  Chicago  should 
secure  the  location  of  the  same.  A  corporation,  capital- 
ized at  $5,000,000,  was  organized.  Senator  Cullom  brought 
the  matter  before  Congress  and  on  the  twenty-fifth  of 
April,  1890,  the  national  enactment  was  consummated 
which  set  on  foot  definitely  the  great  exposition  which 
afterward  took  place  on  our  soil.  In  the  contest  for  the 
location,  four  cities  were  competitors,  namely,  New  York, 
"Washington,  St.  Louis  and  Chicago.  It  took  eight  ballots 
in  the  lower  house  of  Congress  to  determine  the  matter. 
In  the  summer  of  that  year  a  special  session  of  the  Illinois 
legislature,  through  its  legal  enactment,  helped  to  round 
out  the  legal  machinery  through  which  the  exposition  was 
to  be  set  in  operation.  The  directors  of  the  corporation 
selected  a  part  of  the  Lake  Front  and  Jackson  Park  for  the 
site  of  the  great  Fair.  The  Fair  was  opened  on  May  first, 
1893,  and  was  continued  until  the  end  of  October. 


210 


TANNER  1897-1901— CUBAN  WAR. 

In  January,  1897,  John  R.  Tanner  was  inaugurated  as 
Governor. 

The  destruction  of  the  Maine,  while  on  a  friendly  visit 
in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  with  the  accompanying  loss  of 
American  seamen,  furnished  the  cause  for  the  declaration 
of  war  with  Spain.  As  soon  as  the  news  of  the  tragedy 
flashed  across  the  wires,  the  nation  was  aroused.  An  ex- 
tra session  of  the  Illinois  legislature  took  place  and  Gov- 
ernor Tanner  on  February  seventeenth,  1898,  asked  this 
body  to  authorize  him  to  offer  the  support  of  the  state  in 
this  crisis,  which  authority  was  at  once  given,  thereby 
placing  Illinois  first  on  the  list  in  the  sisterhood  of  states 
in  the  offer  of  extending  help.  Under  the  President's  call 
this  state  was  to  provide  seven  regiments  of  infantry  and 
one  of  cavalry.  They  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Tanner  at 
Springfield.  In  addition,  one  battery  of  light  artillery 
was  also  accepted.  Under  the  President 's  second  call  two 
more  regiments  of  infantry  were  furnished.  The  eighth 
regiment  was  a  colored  regiment.3- 

From  the  Adjutant-General's  report  it  appears  that 
the  Illinois  regiments  saw  service  as  follows: 

The  first  and  second  infantry  (Chicago)  regiments  in 
Cuba; 

The  third  infantry  in  Porto  Rico; 

a.     Adj. -Gen.   Report   of   1902,   Vol.   9. 


211 

The  fourth  infantry  in  Cuba ; 

The  fifth  infantry  at  Chiekamauga,  Newport  News  and 
Lexington ; 

Part  of  the  sixth  infantry  in  Cuba  and  part  in  Porto 
Rico; 

The  seventh  infantry  (Chicago)  at  Camp  Alger  and 
Camp  George  G.  Meade; 

The  eighth  infantry  (colored)  in  Cuba; 

The  ninth  infantry  in  Cuba; 

The  first  cavalry  at  Camp  Thomas  and  Fort  Sheridan ; 

Battery  A  (light  artillery)  in  Porto  Rico. 

On  May  twenty-third,  1900,  the  Illinois  State  Histori- 
cal Society  was  incorporated  with  the  following  object: 
"To  excite  and  stimulate  a  general  interest  in  the  history 
of  Illinois ;  to  encourage  historical  research  and  investiga- 
tion and  secure  its  promulgation;  to  collect  and  preserve 
all  forms  of  historical  data  in  any  way  connected  with 
Illinois  and  its  people.  "a 

The  population  in  1900  was  4,821,550. 

a.     Articles  of  incorporation. 

Trans.  111.  State  Hist.  Soc.,  1900,  p.  1. 


212 


YATES  1901-1905. 

In  January,  1901,  Richard  Yates  was  inaugurated  as 
Governor.  He  was  born  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  on  De- 
cember twelfth,  1860,  and  was  the  first  native-born  Gov- 
ernor of  our  state.  He  was  educated  for  the  legal  pro- 
fession and  after  graduating  from  the  Michigan  Univer- 
sity he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

The  first  legislative  session  under  his  administration 
reapportioned  the  state  into  twenty-five  congressional 
and  fifty-one  senatorial  districts.  Among  the  appropria- 
tions provided  for  was  one  of  $250,000  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  a  building  and  presenting  Illinois- exhibits  at  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  through  which  the  great- 
ness of  Illinois  should  be  presented  to  the  world.  And 
at  the  Exposition  in  1904,  our  state  made  a  splendid 
showing  over  which  every  Illinoisan  felt  a  just  pride. 

In  line  with  a  patriotic  and  educational  tendency,  the 
second  legislative  session  passed  an  act,  which  was  ap- 
proved by  the  Governor  on  May  sixteenth,  1903,  making 
the  Illinois  State  Historical  Society  a  department  of  the 
Illinois  State  Historical  Library.  Incidental  expenses 
are  to  be  paid  for  interviewing  old  settlers  and  examining 
county,  church,  school  and  like  records  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Historical  Library  Board.  And  thus,  a  means 
was  provided  by  which  our  historic  progress  may  be  pre- 
served and  transmitted  to  the  generations  yet  to  come. 


213 


DENEEN  1905—. 

On  January  ninth,  1905,  Charles  S.  Deneen  was  inau- 
gurated as  Governor. 

He  was  born  May  fourth,  1863,  at  Edwardsville  in 
Madison  County  and  hence  is  the  second  native-born  Gov- 
ernor of  our  state.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Lebanon  and  at  McKendree  College  and 
the  Union  College  of  Law  (now  Northwestern  Law 
School).  He  moved  to  Chicago  where  he  pursued  his 
profession  and  became  connected  with  some  of  the  lead- 
ing law  firms  of  that  city.  On  May  tenth,  1891,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Bina  Day  Maloney.  In  the  fall  of  1892 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Illinois  legislature;  in 
1895  Attorney  for  Sanitary  Board;  was  nominated  and 
elected  in  1896  as  State's  Attorney  for  Cook  County  and 
re-elected  in  1900.  "Was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Re- 
publican Convention  in  Philadelphia  in  1900.  Was  nom- 
inated for  Governor  and  elected  on  November  eighth, 
1904. 

His  father,  Samuel  H.  Deneen,  was  professor  of  Latin 
and  ancient  and  medieval  history  in  McKendree  College 
and  in  the  Civil  "War  was  adjutant  of  the  117th  Illinois 
Volunteers  and  under  President  Harrison's  administration 
was  United  States  Consul  at  Belleville,  Ontario. 

His  grandfather,  William  L.  Deneen,  was  County  Sur- 
veyor of  St.  Clair  County  as  early  as  1849. 


214 


NEWSPAPERS. 

This  book  has  not  been  dedicated  to  any  individual 
or  class  in  particular,  for  fear  that  its  shortcomings,  what- 
ever they  may  be,  might  not  be  a  welcome  offering.  If  the 
author  could  be  entirely  shorn  of  this  fear,  he  knows  of 
no  guild  to  whom  he  would  rather  dedicate  the  labor  of 
his  love  than  to  the  newspaper  fraternity  of  Illinois.  The 
newspaper  in  its  potentiality  has  been  a  tremendous  force 
in  the  evolution  of  human  civilization.  While  the  great 
development  of  human  liberty  has  received  its  greatest 
impetus  from  the  march  of  events  right  here  on  Illinois 
soil  and  while  our  history  is  an  unbroken  chain  of  cir- 
cumstances leading  to  the  consummation  of  the  political 
equality  of  man,  the  newspapers  of  the  state  have  been 
dominant  factors  in  moulding  and  shaping  the  course  of 
these  circumstances,  which  have  produced  such  beneficent 
results. 

Mathew  Duncan  began  to  publish  the  "Illinois  Her- 
ald" on  September  sixth,  1814,  at  Kaskaskia.  It  was  the 
first  newspaper  in  our  state.a 

There  are  now  over  seventeen  hundred  newspapers 
and  periodicals  being  issued  in  Illinois  and  these,  with 
their  powerful  influence,  exert  an  incalculable  effect 
on  the  public  and  private  life  of  Illinois.  More  than 
five  million  Illinoisans  trust  that  this  influence  will 

a.    E.  A.  Snively,  Trans.  HI.  State  Hist.  Soc.  1904,  p.  205. 


215 

continue  to  be  exerted  in  line  with  our  civic  motto  of 
"State  Sovereignty  and  National  Union,"  so  that  while 
the  greatness  of  Illinois  shall  be  the  pride  of  its  citi- 
zens, this  citizenship  will  exult  in  the  satisfaction  of  be- 
longing to  a  national  and  indivisible  Union  of  States. 


216 


CONTENTS. 


Title    Leaf    

Author's    Preface     3 

Chain  of  Title 6 

Chain  of  Title 9 

Indians 11 

Spain 12 

Map 13 

England 16 

Map 17 

Spanish,   English   and   French 

Discoveries 19 

Map 22 

Spain 23 

Map 26 

France 27 

Map 30 

England 31 

Map 34 

France 35 

Map 40 

The  Illinois  Indians 41 

First   Whites    and   First    Sta- 
tion  in   Illinois 47 

Discovery  of  coal   in  Illinois.   53 

First  Fort  in  Illinois 57 

Map 60 

Further   French   Occupation..  61 

Map 72 

England 73 

Map 76 

Fort    Chartres    and    the    Con- 
quest of  the  N.  W 77 

Map 82 

Virginia    and    the    County    of 

Illinois 83 

Map 88 

United    States— N.    W.    Terri- 
tory  89 

Map 94 

Map 97 

Map 99 

Map 102 

The   War   of   1812 106 

The   State  of  Illinois 109 

Bond,   1818-1822 113 


Map 117 

The  First  Legal  Execution. .  .120 

Coles,   1822-1826 122 

Edwards,  1826-1830 126 

The  Educational   System 130 

Reynolds    and     Ewing,     1830- 

1834 133 

The  Black  Hawk  War 135 

Duncan,  1834-1838 140 

Lovejoy's  Assassination    146 

Slavery  in  Illinois 153 

An  Act  Respecting  Free  Ne- 
groes,  etc 158 

Carlin,    1838-1842 170 

The  Mormons 175 

Ford,  1842-1846 177 

Mexican  War..    .  .* 183 

General  James  Shields 185 

French,  1846-1849-1853 187 

The  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  188 

Matteson,  1853-1857 189 

Bissell  and  Wood,  1857-1861.  .190 

Lincoln  and  Douglas 192 

Yates,  1861-1865 

Civil  War 195 

Oglesby,  1865-1869 197 

Palmer,   1869-1873 198 

Chicago  and  the  Chicago  Fire.  199 
Oglesby  and  Beveridge,   1873- 

1877 201 

Cullom,    1877-1881 202 

Cullom    and    Hamilton,    1881- 

1885 203 

Oglesby,    1885-1889 205 

Fifer,  1889-1893 207 

Altgeld,   1893-1897 208 

The    World's    Columbian    Ex- 
position    209 

Tanner,  1897-1901 

Cuban  War 210 

Yates,  1901-1905 212 

Deneen,  1905- 213 

Newspapers 214 

Contents 216 

Index ..217 


217 


INDEX. 

Ackerman,   145.  Bay,  Chegoimegon,  35. 

Aco,  50.  Bay,  Galveston,  62. 

Actual  cultivation,  65.  Bay,  Massachusetts,  30. 

Actual  possession,  24.  Bay,   Matagorda,   62. 

Actual  transfer,  73.  Beard,  121. 

Admission,  110.  Beardstown,  136,  137,  138. 

Advent  of  white  men,  37.  Beck,  55,  108,  113,  116,  119,  199. 

Affleck,  120.  Becker,  51. 

Agricultural  college,  197.  Beckwith,   41,   42,    43. 

Alamo,  184.  Belgium,  184. 

Albion    143.  Belle  Fontaine,  84,  96. 

Alger,  '211.  Belleville,  103,  120,  121,  143. 

Allouez,  36,  44,  49.  Bennett,   120,   121. 

Altgeld,  208.  Beveridge,    201. 

Alton,    42,    84,    126,    133,    140,  143,    Bienville,  66,  67. 

147.  Big  Muddy  river,  142. 

Amending    of    constitution,  123,    Bineteau,  50. 

196,   207..  Bingo,  153. 

Amendments,  157,  197,  198.  Birth  of  new  party,  189. 

American  Bottom,  42,  84,  104,  111,   Bissell,  190,  191. 

144,  145.  Black  Code,  155. 
Ancient    village    of    the    Illinois,   Black   Hawk,    128,    135,    136,    137, 

46.  138,  139. 

Population  of,  48,  49.  Black  Hawk  War,   108,   128,   134, 

Arkansas  country,  37,  44.  135. 

Armstrong,  139.  Black    Laws,    119,    122,    126,    155, 

Army  of  Clark,  79.  157,    158-169. 

Assassination  of  LaSalle,  62.  Blacks,  64. 

Assassination    of    Lovejoy,  145,    Blacksmith,  58,  145. 

146,  156.  Blind,  132. 
Assassination  of  Pontiac,   46,   73.   Bloomington,   142,   143. 

Atkinson,   129,   137,   138.  Blue  Licks,  85. 

Aubuchon,  69.  Bluffs,  42,  84,  142,  144. 

Author's  preface,  3.  Boisbriant,  65,  66,  67,  77. 

Bad  Axe,  138.  Bond,  84,  111,  113,  123,  130,  185. 

Bahamas,  12.  Bonds,  sale  of,  170. 

Ball,  74.  Book  A,  95. 

Bancroft,  31.  Bottom,   American,     42,     84,     104, 

Bank,  113,  123,  126,  133,  140,  180,       111,  144,  145. 

187.  Boul,  145. 

Baptism  of  Aco,  50.  Boundaries,  110. 

Baptisms,  record  of,  49.  Boundary  dispute,  110,  181. 

Baptist,   95,    128.  Bounties,  108. 

Bateman,  132.  Bourbonnais,  69. 

Bayliss,  132.  Brazil  tobacco,  45. 


218 


Breese,  37,  41,  42,  43,  52,  53,  62. 

Bribe,  45. 

British,  68,  108. 

Brown,  41,  108,  171,  182. 

Brownsville,   114. 

Brooks,  132. 

Buena  Vista,  186,  190. 

Buffalo's   wool,   67. 

Bureau  of  labor  statistics,  56. 

Cabin,  first,  49. 

Cabot,  16. 

Cabot's  discovery,  17. 

Cahokia,  42,  43,  46,  52,  62,  68,  69, 

73,  74,  76,  79,  84,  95. 
Cahokia  creek,  42. 
Cahokia  mound,  42. 
Cahokia  village,   42. 
Cahokias,  40,  41,  42,  52. 
Cairo,  112,  142. 
California.  186. 
Camp  Alger.  211. 
Campbell,   108. 
Camp  Russell,  108. 
Canada,   19,   27,   35,   36,  51,  61,   69, 

91,  103,  109. 

Canada,  Intendant  of,  35,  36. 
Canal,   Illinois    &    Michigan,    123, 

124,   127,   133,   140,  141,  172,  180, 

187,  188,  200,  203. 
Canal,  Chicago  Sanitary,  123. 
Canal  commissioners,  141. 
Canal,  Drainage,  207. 
Canal,  Panama,  173. 
Canton,  143. 
Cape  Fear,  31. 
Capital,   113,   140,  174,   197. 
Carbondale,   132. 
Carlin,  170,  176. 
Carlyle,  143. 
Carolina,  English,  63. 
Carolina,   Fort,   24. 
Carthage,   143,   178,   179. 
Cartier,  26,  27,  35. 
Cartier  to  Frontenac,  41,  44,  49. 
Cartwright,  96. 
Cascaschia,  48. 
Casey,  133. 
Caton,  46. 
Cattle,  67. 


Cemetery,  51. 

Centennial,  201. 

Central   railroad,     143,     172,     187, 

188. 

Cerro  Gordo,  186. 
Chain  of  title,  6,  7,  9,  10. 
Chain  of  Lakes,  23,  35,  77. 
Champlain,  35. 
Charleston,  132,  J43. 
Charlevoix,  41,  45,  46,  54,  66,  67. 
Charboniere,  54. 
Chegoimegon,  35. 
Chester,  42,  50,  83,   84,  111. 
Chicago,  52,  106,  116,  141,  172,  199, 

202,  207,  208,  209,  213. 
Chicago  river,  49.  106,  199. 
Chicago    Historical    Society,    83, 

182. 

Chicago  creek,  116. 
Chicago  sanitary  canal,  123. 
Chicago  drainage  district,  172. 
Chicago  fire,  198,  199,  200. 
Chickamauga,  211. 
Chickasaws,  267. 
Chief   Justice   Marshall,    10. 
Chief  Pottawatomie,  46. 
China,   36. 

China,  northwest  passage  to,   37. 
Chouteau,  74,  112. 
Church  of  Kaskaskia,  49. 
Civil  War,   193,   195. 
Claim,  English,  map  of,  17,  30,  72, 
Claim,   French,   36. 

Map  of,  26,  34. 

Clark,  74,  78,  79,  83,  84,  90,  107. 
Clark,  Fort,  107,  108. 
Clay,  103. 
Clayton,  143. 
Cleveland,  175. 
Coal,    53,    54,    55,    56,    144. 
Code  Noir   (black),   155. 
Coles,  122,  155. 

College,    agricultural   and   indus- 
trial, 197. 

College,  Illinois,   128. 
College,  McKendree,  128,  213 
College,   Shurtleff,   128. 
Collet,  70. 
Columbus,  12,  143,  207,  209. 


219 


Columbus'  discovery,  13. 
Columbian    Exposition,    207,    208. 

209. 

Commandant,  66,  67,  73. 
Commandant,  first,  65,  84. 
Commandant,  Spanish,  84. 
Commandants,  French,  50,  67,  68, 

70,  73. 

Common,  66. 
Common  fields,  66. 
Commutation  of  sentence,   206. 
Company,  London,   30,   31. 
Company,  Plymouth,  30,   31. 
Company,  Royal  India,  64,  65,  66, 

67,   153. 

Company  of  the  west,  64,  65,  153. 
Commissioners  to  move  dead,  51. 
Concurrent  jurisdiction,  110,  111, 

119. 

Confederacy  of  Illinois,  41. 

Map  of,  40. 

Population  of,  42. 
Conference,   peace,    36,   195. 
Confirmation  to  French  and  Can- 
adian inhabitants,  89,  90,  154. 
Confirmation  to  Virginia  citizens, 

90. 

Congress,  Indian,  36.  •         ' 

Connecticut,  89. 
Connecticut   colony,    30. 
Conquest    of    the    Northwest,  74, 

76,  77,  79,  83. 

Map  of,  76. 

Conspiracy  of  Pontiac,  74. 
Constituent  assembly,  146. 
Constitutional  convention,  196, 

198. 
Constitutions,    110,    155,    156,    157, 

187. 

Amending  of,  123,  196,  207. 
Constructively,   36. 
Constructive  possession,  24,  3L 
Contents,  216. 

Controversy,  boundary,  110,  181. 
Cook,  51,  155. 
Copper,  54,  55. 
Counterfeiting,  179. 
Counties — 

Adams,  125. 


Alexander,  113. 
Bond,  104. 
Boone,   145. 
Brown,  173. 
Bureau,  145. 
Calhoun,  125. 
Carroll,  173. 
Cass,  145. 
Champaign,  134. 
Christian,   173. 
Clark,  113. 
Clay,  124. 
Clinton,  41,  124. 
Coles,  134. 
Cook,  134,  213. 
Crawford,   104. 
Cumberland,   187. 

DeKalb,  145. 

DeWitt,  173. 

Douglas,  191. 

DuPage,  173. 

Edgar,  124. 

Edwards,  104,   114,  126. 

Efflngham,  134. 

Fayette,  115.  v 

Ford,  191. 

Franklin,  105. 

Fulton,   124. 

Gallatin,  104. 

Greene,  115. 

Grundy,  174. 

Hamilton,  92,  115. 

Hancock,   125,   176,  177,   17! 

Hardin,   174. 

Henderson,  174. 

Henry,  124,  125. 

Iroquois,  134. 

Jackson,  104. 

Jasper,  134. 

Jefferson,  113. 

Jersey,  173. 

Jo  Daviess,  128. 

Johnson,  104. 

Kane,  145, 

Kankakee,  187. 

Kendall,   174. 

Knox,  125. 

Lake,  173. 

LaSalle,  37,  54.  134,  141. 


220 


Lawrence,  115. 
Lee,  173. 
Livingston,  145. 
Logan,  173. 
McDonough,  125. 
McHenry,  145. 
McLean,  115,  134. 
Macon,  128. 
Macoupin,  128. 
Madison,  104,  213. 
Marion,  124. 
Marshall,  173. 
Mason,  174. 
Massac,  181. 
Menard,  115,  173. 
Mercer,  125. 
Monroe,  65,  84,  96,  104. 
Montgomery,  115. 
Morgan,  124. 
Moultrie,  181. 
Ogle,  145. 
Peoria,  125. 
Perry,  128. 
Piatt,  174. 
Pike,  115,  116,  117,  199. 

Pope,  104. 

Pulaski,  181. 

Putnam,  125. 

Randolph,  69,  77,  96,  97,  99,  102, 
105. 

Richland,  174. 

Rock  Island.  134. 

St.  Glair,  69,  85,  94,  95,  96,  97, 
99,  102,  105.  120.  121,  142,  213. 

Saline,   187. 

Sangamon,   115. 

Schuyler,    125. 

Scott,  173. 

Shelby,  128. 

Stark,  174. 

Stephenson,   145. 

Tazewell,  57,  128. 

Union,  105. 

Vermilion,  125. 

Wabash,  125. 

"Warren,  125. 

Washington,    92,    105. 

Wayne,  113. 

White,   104. 


Whiteside,  145. 

Will,   145. 

Williamson,  173. 

Winnebago,  145. 

Woodford,  174. 
Country,  Arkansas,  37,  44. 
Country,  Illinois,  47,  53,  61,  62,  63, 

66,  67,  68,  70,  74,  78,  79,  82,  83, 

84,  95,  153. 
Country,  Miamis.  61. 
Country,  Rock  river,  108,  136,  137, 

142. 

Coureurs  de  Bois,   55. 
Court,    73,    90. 
Courts,  primitive,  84. 
Cove  Spring,  96. 
Craig,  107. 

Creve  Coeur,   57,   61. 
Cross  of  cedar,  36. 
Crows,  95. 
Crozat,  63,  64,   65. 
Cuba,   210,  211. 
Cuban  War,  210. 
Cullom,  202,   203,  204,   209. 
Cultivation,  actual,   65. 
Cunning  thieves,   46. 
Currency,   depreciation   of,   114. 
Customs  of  Paris,  64. 
Dablon,  35,  36,  44. 
Dane  county,  173. 
Danville,  143. 
D'Artaguette,  67. 
Das  Deutsche  Element,  112. 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution, 57,  74. 
Dauphin,  Lake,  48. 
Davidson  &  Stuve,  171. 
Davis,  190,  202. 
Deaf  and  Dumb,  132. 
Dearborn,  Fort,  106,  199. 
Death  of  Marquette,  49. 
Debate,  Lincoln  and  Douglas,  192, 

193,  194. 
DeBertel,  68. 
Decatur,  142,  143. 
DeChastes,    26,   27. 
Declaration  of  Independence,  146. 
Degan,   205. 
DeGourges,    24. 


221 


DeKalb,   132. 
DeLaBuissoniere,  67. 
DeLaVega,  23. 
DeLeon,  22,  23,  24. 
DeMonts,  26,  27,  35. 
Deneen,  213. 
Dental  Brief,  41. 
Depreciation  of  currency,  114. 
Description   of  Louisiana,   48,   54, 

57. 

Description  of  Fort  Chartres,  78. 
DesLiettes,  67. 
DesMoines  river   44. 
DesPlaines  river,  49. 
DeSoto,  22,  24. 
DesUrsins,  65,  66. 
Discoveries,      Spanish,       English 

and  French,  19. 
Discovery  by  Cabot,  17. 
Discovery  by  Columbus,  13. 
D^overy  of  the  Great  West,  35, 

District,'  intermediate,  30,   31. 

Division  of  papers,  69. 

Dixon,  137,  138,  139. 

Doniphan,  175. 

Doty    182 

Douglas,  176,  189,  191,  192,  193. 

207' 


amshops,  204. 
Duel,  sham/120. 
Duncan,    124,   131,   136,    140,    143, 

170,  214. 
DuQuoin,  43. 

Early  French  settlers,  66. 
Earthquakes,    103. 
Eastern  Indians,  43. 
Eastern  Normal,  132. 
Eastern  State,  91. 
East  St.  Louis,  144. 
Education,   92,   128,   130,  131,   132. 
Educational   Institution,   132. 
Edwards,    83,    103,    104,    107,    108, 

123,   128,   129,  132,   136,  156. 
Edwardsville,  114,  143,  213. 
Election,  first,  111. 
Emancipation,  gradual,  148,  192. 


Emancipation   Proclamation,   193, 

196. 

Employees  in  mines,  56. 
Enabling  act,  181. 
Encroachments      of      Mississippi 

river,  48,  78. 
England,    16,    31,    68,   73,   78,    106, 

184. 

English,  35,  73,  74,  78,  79,  83. 
English  Carolina,  63. 
English  claim,  map  of,  17,  30,  72. 
English  occupation,  73. 
English,  Spanish  and  French  dis- 

coveries,  19. 
Enumeration   of  Illinois   Indians, 

43- 

Establishment   of   the   Faith,    42, 

45>  49>  57- 
Etter,  132. 
Ewing,   133. 

first  legal,   119,   120. 

°f 


„   ..  ,,. 

Extmc  ion    ultimate,  192. 


Fairfield,  143. 

Faith     establishment   of   the,    42, 

Ferdinand   and  Isabella,   12. 
52' 

'*' 


Fike, 
First 
First 

First 
First 
First 
First 
First 
Firgt 
First 
First 
First 
First 
First 
First 
First 


120. 

American  school  master,  96. 

cabin>   49- 

commandant,  65,  84. 

county,  95. 

election,   111, 

foreign-born  Governor,  208. 

fort,  57. 

Governor,  111,  113,  130,  185. 

home,  199. 

legal  execution,  119,  120. 

Lieutenant-Governor,   111. 

native  born   Governor,   212. 

railroad,  144. 

state  election,  111. 

station,   47. 


222 


First  whites,  47. 

Florida,  23,  24,  27,  184. 

Ford,  105,  123,  171,  177,  178,  180. 

Forest  rangers,  55. 

Forge,  58. 

Fort  Carolina,  24. 

Fort  Chartres,   66,   67,   68,   69,   73, 

74,   76,   77,   78. 
Fort  Clark,  107,  108. 
Fort  Dearborn,  106,  199. 
Fortified  post,  58. 
Fort  Massac,  70,  76,  95. 
Fort  Recovery,  99,   103. 
Fortress  Monroe,  139. 
Fort  St.   Lo^is,   62. 
Fort  Sheridan,    211. 
Fowls,  67. 

Fox  Indians,  108,  129,  135. 
Fox  river,  37.  55,  1-35. 
France,   27,   31,   35,   63,   66,   67,   68, 

73,  184. 
France,  New,  27,  35,  47,  50,  53,  61, 

63,  64,  67. 

Map  of,  60. 
Freeman,  132. 
Freeport,    192. 
Free  schools,  124,  131. 
French,  187. 

French-Canadian  government,  62. 
French-Canadian  inhabitants,  89, 

90,  154. 
French  claim,  36. 

Map  of,  26,  34. 
French  commandants,   50,  67,   68, 

70,  73. 

French,  English  and  Spanish  dis- 
coveries, 19. 

French-Indian  War,  68,  92. 
French  possessions,  68. 
French  settlements,  79. 
French  settlers,  66. 
French  slaves,  156. 
French  traders,  55. 
Friars,  53. 

Frontenac,  Cartier  to,  41,  44,  49. 
Fuel,  66. 
Fugitives,  91. 
Fugitive  slave  law,  156. 
Fund   commissioners,    141. 


Further  French  occupation,  61. 

Fur  traders,  35. 

Gage,  73. 

Gaines,   136,   137. 

Galena,   129,   142. 

Galveston  Bay,  62. 

Garrison,  84. 

Gayarre,  65,  70. 

Gazetteer,  Beck,  55,  108,  113,  116, 

119    199. 
Gazetteer,  Peck,  108,  128,  141,  171, 

199. 

Gentiles,  175,  176,  179. 
German  immigration,  112. 
Germany,  208. 
Gibault,   79. 
Gilman,  156. 
Godfather,  115. 
Gomo's  Town,  108. 
Good  heels,  45. 

Gradual  emancipation,  148,  192. 
Grand  Marais,  144. 
Grant,  195,  198. 
Grant,  Renault,  66. 
Grants,  Indian,  65. 
Gratiot,  79. 
Gravier,  49,  50,  52. 
Great  Lakes,   23,   35,  77. 
Great  Marsh,    144. 
Great  Miami  river,  91. 
Great  river,  35,  37,  44. 
Great  Wabash  river,  142. 
Great  West,  180. 
Great  West,  discovery  of,  35,   49, 

62. 
Great  western    mail    route,     142, 

144. 

Green  Bay,  37,  49. 
Greyhounds,   45. 
Griffin,   53. 
Guanajuata,    183. 
Guinea,  64. 

Gulf,  61,  62,  63,  124,  173. 
Gun,    46. 
Habits    and    habitat    of    Indians, 

44. 

Halifax,  31. 
Hamilton,  203,  204. 
Hardy,   90. 


223 


Harper,  204. 

Harris,   153. 

Harrison,  43,  96,  106,  135,  213. 

Havana,  210. 

Hay,  121. 

Hay  Market,  205,  208. 

Heald,   106,   107. 

Heels,    good,    45. 

Hennepin,  48,  53,  54,  56,  57,  138. 

Henry  IV,  27. 

Henry,  Patrick,  79,  83. 

Henry  VII,   16. 

Herald,  Illinois,  214. 

Hidalgo,  183. 

Higher  education,   128. 

Highlanders,   73. 

High  license,  204. 

Hillsboro,  143. 

Historical  library,  207,  212. 

Historical    Society,    Chicago,    83, 

182. 
Historical   Society,  Illinois   State, 

70,   211,   212. 

Historical   Society,  Missouri,  70. 
Hog-hide  register,  69. 
Hopkins,   107. 
Horned  cattle,  67. 
Horsepower,  145. 
Huguenot   colony,    24. 
Hutchins"   topographical  descrip- 
tion, 43,  54. 
Iberville,   73. 
Idle,  45. 
Illinese,  40,  45. 
Illini,  11,  41,  42,  52. 
Illinois,  109,  110,  111,  112. 
Illinois,  ancient    village    of     the, 

46. 
Illinois   and   Indiana  Indians,   41, 

42,   43. 
Illinois      and      Louisiana      under 

French  rule,  70. 
Illinois    &    Michigan    canal,    123, 

124,  127,   133,  140,  141,  172,   180, 

187,  188,  200,  203. 
Illinois  Central  railroad,  143,  172, 

187,  188. 

Illinois  college,  128. 
Illinois  confederacy,  41. 


Map  of,  40. 

Population  of,  42. 
Illinois  country,  47,  53,  61,  62,  63, 

66,  67,  68,  70,  74,  78,  79,  82,  83, 

84,  95,   153. 

Illinois,  county  of,  82,  83. 
Illinois  Indians,  11,  37,  41,  44,  47, 

48,  61,  62,  64,  67,  68,  73. 

Enumeration  of,  43. 

Extinction  of,   43,   46,  73. 
Illinois  Herald,   214. 
Illinois,  Lake,  49. 
Illinois  river,  37,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47, 

48,    49,    52,    54,    55,    95,    107,    108, 

116,   133,    135,   142,    172,   199. 
Illinois  Territory,  102,  103. 

Map  of,  102. 
Illinois  University,  130. 
Immaculate   Conception,    mission 

of,  49,  50. 
Independence,  175. 
Indiana,  83,  110,  116,  143. 
Indiana  regiment,  190. 
Indiana  Territory,  43,  96,  99,  105. 

Map  of,  99. 
Indian  congress,  36. 
Indian  grants,   65. 
Indian  massacre,  199. 
Indian  migration  to  southern  Illi- 
nois, 50. 

Indian,  Peoria,  74. 
Indian  right,  10. 
Indians,    11,   69,    84,    106,   107,   108, 

126,    128,   129,   135,   137,   138. 
Indians,   Arkansas,   37. 
Indians,  eastern,  43. 
Indians,  habits  and  habitat  of,  44. 
Indians,   Peoria,   40,    41,    43,   61. 
Indians,  Sac  and  Fox,  108,  135. 
Indian  Territory,  44. 
Indian  tribes  of  the  west,  31,  35, 

36. 

Industrial  college,   197. 
Inglis,    132. 

Inhabitants,    French    and    Cana- 
dian, 89,  90,  154. 
Inhabitants,  original,  10. 
Institution  for  blind,   132. 


224 

Institution    for    deaf    and    dumb,  Kentucky  river,  96. 

132.  Keokuk,  136. 

Intendant,  35,  36,  67.  Kickapoos,    37. 

Intermediate  district,  30,  31.  Kidd,  84. 

Internal   improvements,   140,   141,  Kirtland,   175. 

142,  143,  170,  171.  Knowledge,   92,   130. 

Iowa,  44,  139,  186.  Koerner,  112. 

Ireland,  185.  Kuilka,  48. 

Iron,  54.  Labor  statistics,  56. 

Iron  rails,  145.  LaCharboniere,   54. 

Iroquois,  48,  61,  62.  Lacroix,    69. 

Isabella  and   Ferdinand,   12.  LaFayette,  124,  185. 

Iturbide,  183.  LaHontan,  45. 

Jackson,  136,  139.  Lake  Dauphin,  48. 

Jackson  Park,   208.  Lake  Front,  209. 

Jacksonville,    128,    132,    140,    143,  Lake  Illinois,  49. 

212.  Lake  Michigan,  41,  47,  48,  49,  91, 
James,  104.  106,  109,   110,  116,  133,  141,  181. 

James  I,  31.  Lake  of  the  Woods,  91,  109. 

Jarrot,  156.  Lake  Peoria,  41. 

Jefferson,  90,  146.  Lakes,  61,  123,  124. 

Jefferson  Barracks,   138.  Lakes,  Great,  23,  35,  77. 

Jesuit,  map,  44.  Lake  Superior,   35,   44,   47. 

Jesuit  Relation,   35,  44.  Laon,    47. 

Jesuits,  47,  67.  LaSalle,   35,  37,  49,  53,  55,  57,  58, 
Johnston,   193.  60,  61,  62,  63,  172. 

Joliet,  172.  Latter  Day  Saints,  175. 

Jolliet,  24,  37,  41,  47,  48,  53.  Laudonniere,  24. 

Jolliet   &   Marquette   route,    34.  LaVantum,  48. 

Jonesboro,  192.  LaVille  de  Maillet,  76. 

Journal,  Kennedy's,  54,  55.  Law,  64. 

Journal,  Marquette's,  37,  42,  44.  Law,  fugitive  slave,  156. 

Judith,  153.  Lawrenceville,   142. 

Jurisdiction,  concurrent,  110,  111,  Leaflets,   Old  South,   31. 

119.  Lebanon,  128,  143,  213. 

Kankakee  river,  54.  LeClercq,   42,   45,  49,   57. 

Kaskaskia,   41,   48,   49,   50,   51,   55,  Lee,  90,  193. 

62,  66,  68,   69,   73,  76,  78,  79,  84,  Legislature,  proroguing  of,  196. 

110,  113,  124,  185,  214.  Length  of  state,  112. 

Kaskaskia  church,  49.  Le  Rocher.  46,  62. 

Kaskaskia  mound,  41.  LeSueur,   52. 

Kaskaskia,   new,   51.  Lexington,  211. 

Kaskaskia    river,    41,    43,    48,    50,  Liberator,  183. 

142.  Liberty  of  the  press,  149. 

Kaskaskias,  40,  41,  43,  49,  50,  90,  Library,  Historical,  207. 

199.  License,   high,   204. 

Kennebec,  147.  Lillard,  96. 

Kennedy's  Journal,  54,  55.  Lincoln,  189,  191,  192,  193,  194. 

Kentucky,  78,  103,  107,  111,  152.  Liquors,  204. 


225 


Little  Michilmakinack    river,    94, 

95. 

Little  river,  95. 
Little  Wabash  river,  142. 
Logan,  195,  202,  205. 
London,  170. 
London  company,  30,  31. 
Louis  XIV,  36,  53,  61. 
Louisiana,   50,   61,   62,   63,   64,   65, 

66,  67,  68,  70,  73,  184. 
Louisiana,   description  of,   48,   54, 

57. 

Louisiana,  map  of,  60. 
Louisiana    Purchase    Exposition, 

212. 

Lovejoy,  147,  192. 
Lovejoy's  assassination,  145,  146, 

156. 

McKendree  college,  128,  213. 
Mackinac,   36. 
Mackinaw,  61,  143. 
Mackinaw   river,   55. 
McLaughlin,  57. 
McLean,   115. 
Macomb,  132,  143. 
Madison,  103,  106. 
Magazine,  Powder,  78. 
Mail   route,    Great   Western,    142, 

144. 

Maine,  147. 
Maine,  the,  210. 
Makarty,  68. 
'   Maloney,   213. 
Manchester,   175. 
Man  of  Illinois,  146. 
Map,  county  of  Illinois,  82. 
Map,  English  claim,   17,   30,  72. 
Map,  French  claim,  26,  34. 
Map,  Illinois  confederacy,  40. 
Map,   Illinois   Territory,   102. 
Map,  Indiana  Territory,   99. 
Map,   Jesuit,    44. 
Map,  Louisiana,   60. 
Map,  New  France,  60. 
Map,  Northwest,  76,   88,  94,  97. 
Map,  Pike  county,  117. 
Map,  Randolph     county,     97,     99, 

102. 


Map,  St.  Clair  county,  94,  97,  99, 

102. 

Map,  Spanish  claim,  13,  22. 
Map,   Smith's   state,   116. 
Marest,  43,  50. 
Margry,  57,  70. 
Maroni,  175. 
Marquette,   24,   35,   36,   37,   41,   44, 

47,   49,   51,   199. 

Marquette  &  Jolliet  route,  34. 
Marquette's  Journal,  37,  42,  44. 
Married  women,   195. 
Marietta,  92. 

Marshall,   Chief  Justice,   10. 
Maryland,  111. 
Mascoutens,  37,  64. 
Mason,  37,  43,  52,  62,  79,  83,  95. 
Massac,  Fort,  70,  76,  95. 
Massachusetts,  89. 
Massachusetts  Bay,    30. 
Matagorda  Bay,   62. 
Matteson,  189. 
Mausoleum,  194. 
Meachelle,  46. 
Mead,  211. 
Melendez,  22,  24. 
Membre',  42,  45,  48,  53,  57,  62. 
Men,  superior,  42. 
Menard,  111,  112,  115. 
Meredosia,  143,  171. 
Mesnard,  36. 
Messenger,   181. 
Metchigamea,  40,  41,  44. 
Metchigamis,    43. 
Methodist   missionary,   96. 
Mexican  War,   182,   183,   186,   190. 
Mexico,  183,  184,  186. 
Mexico,    gulf   of,    61,    62,    63,    124, 

173. 

Mexico,  New,  63. 
Miami  country,  53,  54,  61. 
Miami  river,   Great,  91. 
Miamis,   37. 
Michigan,  41,  83. 
Michigan,  Lake,  41,  47,  48,  49,  91, 

106,  109,   110,  116,  133,  141,   181. 
Michigan  University,   212. 
Middle  state,  91. 
Migration  of  Indians  to  southern 

Illinois,  50. 


226 


Miles,  152. 

Military  tract,   108. 

Military  tribunal,  73. 

Mines,  54,  56. 

Mining,  65. 

Minnesota,  186. 

Missilimakinac,    45. 

Mission,   Immaculate  Conception, 

49,  50. 

Mission,  St.  Esprit,  34,  44. 
Mission,  St.  Ignace,  34,  36,  37,  47, 

62,  199. 

Missionaries,  35. 
Missionary  station,  pioneer,  36. 
Mississippi,    67. 
Mississippi  regiment,   190. 
Mississippi    river,    24,   37,    41,    42, 

43,  44,  45,  47,  48,  50,  61,  62,   63, 

68,  73,  77,  84,  89,  91,  95,  108,  109, 

110,   123,   129,  135,  136,   137,   138, 

139,  142,  144,  145,  172,  188. 

Encroachments  of,  48,  50,  78. 

Mouth  of,  61. 
Mississippi  scheme,  64. 
Missouri,  44,  84,  121,  122,  135,  155, 

175,  176,  177,  208. 
Missouri  compromise,  192. 
Missouri  Historical  Society,  70. 
Missouri  river,  63. 
Mobbing  of  press,  149,  150. 
Monroe,  90. 
Monroe,  Fortress,  139. 
Monterey,  186. 
Montreal,   34,   35. 
Monument,   Bond,    111. 
Monument,  first  fort,  57. 
Monument,    Menard,    112. 
Moore,  84,  153. 
Morality,  92,  130. 
Morelos,  183. 

Mormons,  174,  175,  177,  179,  180. 
Moses,   41,    83,    105,    123,    171,    182, 

199. 

Mound,  Cahokia,  42. 
Mound,  Kaskaskia,  41. 
Mount  Carmel,   143. 
Mount  Sterling,  143. 
Mulattoes,   119,   126. 


My  Own  Times,  103,  105,  108, 120, 

144,  156,   181. 

Nauvoo,    176,    177,   178,   179. 
Nauvoo  legion,  176. 
Negroes,  69,  119,  126,  189. 
Negro  lynched,  149. 
Negro  servitude,  153. 
New  Brunswick,  19. 
New  Chartres,  69. 
New  Design,   96. 
New  England,    182. 
Newfoundland,  19,  27. 
New  France,  27,  35,  47,  50,  53,  61. 

63,   64,  67. 

Map  of,   60. 
New  Kaskaskia,  51. 
New  Mexico,   63. 
New  Orleans,   66,    68. 
New  party,  189. 
Newport  News,  211. 
Newspapers,    214,    215. 
New  vessel,  61. 
New  voyages  to  North  America, 

45. 

New  York,   89,   175,   209. 
Neyon  de  Villiers,  68. 
Normal,  131,  132. 
Normal,  eastern,  132. 
Normal,  northern,   132. 
Normal,   southern,  132. 
Normal,  state,  132.  « 
Normal  university,   131,   132,   190. 
Normal,  western,  132. 
North  America,   23,  77. 

Savages  of.  45. 
North  Carolina,  27. 
Northern  Cross  railroad,  143. 
Northern  Normal,  132. 
Northwest,  83,  85,  90,  106,  108. 

Conquest  of,  74,  76,  77,  79,  83. 

Map  of,  76,  88,  94,  97. 
Northwestern  Law  School,  213. 
Northwest  passage  to  China,   37. 
Northwest  Territory,  88,  89,  94,  97, 

109,  153. 

Nova  Scotia,  19. 
Observer,  St.  Louis,  148. 
Occupation,   65,   73.  . 

O'Fallon,  128. 


227 


Officers'  quarters,  58. 

Oglesby,   197.   201,   205.   208. 

Ohio,  83,  92,  96,  175,  208. 

Ohio  river,   63,  77,   89,  90,  91,   95, 
96,   109,   110,   111,   119,   145,   188. 

Olden  cemetery,  51. 

Olden  Illinois  settlement,  61. 

Old   South  Leaflets,   31.    , 

Ontario,  213. 

Ordinance    of    1787,    90,    109,    122, 
130,  153,  181. 

Orient,   36. 

Origin,  186. 

Original  inhabitants,  10. 

Ottawa,  138. 

Ottumwa,  186. 

Oumamis,   45. 

Outagamins,  45.  > 

Palmer,  198. 

Palmyra,  175. 

Palo  Alto,  186. 

Panama  canal,  173. 

Papers,  division  of,  69. 

Pardon   of  Hay  Market  defend- 
ants, 208. 

Paris,  73,  143. 

Paris,  customs  of,  64. 

Paris  of  the  West,  50,  183. 

Paris,   treaty  of,  73. 

Parkman,  35,  37,  49,  62. 

Pasturage,  66. 

Patent  for  Virginia,  30. 

Patent  letters,  63. 

Patent  of  Louis  XIV,  53. 

Peace  conference,   36,   195. 

Peck,  108,  128,  141,  171,  199. 

Peck's  seminary,  128,  181. 

Penitentiary,  126,  133,  190. 

Pennsylvania,  89,  91. 

Penobscot,   147. 

Peoria,  43,  57,  65,  76,  107,  140,  143. 

Peoria  Chapter,  D.  A.  R,,  57. 

Peoria  Indian,  74. 

Peoria  Lake,  41. 
Peorias,  40,  41,  43,  61. 
Periodicals,  214. 

Perrot,  36. 
Philadelphia,  20L 

Piggott,  84. 


Pioneer  dead,  removal  of,  51. 
Pioneer  History,  Reynolds,'  43,  95, 

108. 

Pioneer  missionary  station,  36. 
Piracy,  184. 
Pisticoui  river,  54,  55. 
Pittsburg,  145,  202. 
Plymouth  company,  30,  31. 
Political  discussion,  189. 
Ponce  de  Leon,  22,  23,  24. 
Pontiac,  43,  73,  74. 
Pontiac,   assassination  of,   46,  73. 
Pope,    109,    110,    177. 
Population,   95,  103,  113,  116,  128, 
174,   187,   191,  198,  199,   200,   202, 
207,  211. 

Population  of  ancient  Illinois  vil- 
lage. 48,  49. 

Population    of   Illinois    confeder- 
acy, 42. 
Porto  Rico,  210,  211. 

Possession,  65,  73. 
Possession,  actual,  24. 

Possession,    constructive,    24,    31. 

Possessions,  French,  68. 

Post,  fortified,  58. 

Post  Vincennes,  91,  102,  103,  109. 

Pottawatomie  chief,  46. 

Pottawatomis,    136. 

Powder,    45. 

Powder   magazine,   78. 

Powell,  132. 

Prairie  du  Chien,  129,  138. 

Prairie  du  Pont,  68. 

Prairie  du  Rocher,  66,  77,  84. 

Precious  stones,  64. 

Press,   liberty  of  the,  149. 
Mobbing  of,  149,  150. 

Primitive  courts,  84. 

Prophet's  Town,   106,   137. 

Proroguing   of  legislature,   196. 

Protestantism,  96. 

Prothonotary,  69. 

Public   works,   commissioners   of, 
141. 

Purgatory  swamp,  142. 

Quebec,   34,   35,   36,   47,   60. 

Quincy,   143,   205. 

Raab,   132. 


228 


Radebaugh,  182. 

Railroad,  first,  144. 

Railroads,   133,   143,  144,  145,  171, 

172,  187,  188,  204. 
Rails,  iron,  145. 
Randolph  County,  map  of,  97,  99, 

102. 

Rangers,  106. 
Reapportionment,    203. 
Recollects,  53. 
Record  B,  121. 
Record  C,  121. 
Record  of  baptisms,  49. 
Recovery,  Fort,  99,  103. 
Red  Bird,  129. 

Reform  movements,  201. 
Register,  hog-hide,  69. 
Registrar  of  the  bench,  69. 
Registre  des  Insinuations,   69. 
Relation  of  1670-1671,  35,  44. 
Religion,  92,  130. 
Removal  of  capital,  113,  140,  174, 

197. 

Removal  of  pioneer  dead,  51. 
Renault,  65,  122,  153. 
Renault  grant,  66. 
Repeal  of  incorporation  of  Illinois 

&   Michigan     Canal    Company, 

127. 
Repeal   of   Missouri   compromise, 

192. 

Republican  party,  192. 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  186. 
Revenue  laws,  202. 
Revolution,  American,   78,   83,   92. 
Reynolds,   43,   44,  95,  96,   103,   105, 

106,   108,  120,   121,  123,  133,   137, 

144,  156,  181. 
Ribaut,  24. 
Ribourde,  53. 
Right  of  Indian,  10. 
Rights  of  man,  146. 
Rivers — 

Bad  Axe,  138. 

Big  Muddy,  142. 

Chicago,  49,  106,  199. 

DesMoines,  44. 

DesPlaines,  49. 

Fox,  37,  55,  135. 


Great,  35,  37,  44. 
Great  Miami,  91. 
Great  Wabash,  142. 
Illinois,  37,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47,  48, 
49,  52,  54,  55,  95,  107,  108,  116, 
133,  135,  142,  172,  199. 
Kankakee,  54. 

Kaskaskia,  41,  43,  48,  50,  142. 
Kentucky,  96. 
Little,  95. 

Little  Michilmakinack,  94,  95. 
Little  Wabash,  142. 
Mackinaw,  55. 

Mississippi,  24,  37,  41,  42,  43,  44, 
45,  47,  48,  50,  61,  62,  63,  68,  73, 
77,  84,  89,  91.  95,  108,  109,  110, 
123,  129,  135,  136,  137,  138,  139, 
142,  144,  145,  172,  188. 
Encroachments  of,  48,  50,  78. 
Mouth  of,  61. 
Missouri,  63. 
Ohio,   63,   77,   89,   90,   91,   95,   96, 

109,   110,   111,   119,   145,   188. 
Pisticoui,  54,  55. 
Rock,  108,  136,  137. 
St.  Lawrence,  27,  35. 
Trinity,  62. 
Vermilion,  55,  141. 
Wabash,    91,    95,    103,    106,    109, 

110. 

Wisconsin,  37,  45,  135,  138. 
Roads,  130. 

Rocheblave,  74,  79,  84. 
Rock  Island,  108,  136,  142. 
Rock  river,  108.  136,  137. 
Rock  river  country,  108,  136,  137, 

142. 

Rock,    Starved.   46,   49,   62. 
Rock  Spring  seminary,  128,  181. 
Route,  Marquette  &  Jolliet,  34. 
Royal  India  company,   64,   65,  66, 

67,  153. 
Russell,  107. 
Russell,  Camp,  108. 
Rutherford,  84. 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  108,  129,  135. 
Ste.  Anne,  66. 
St.   Augustine,   24. 
St.  Ange  de  Belle  Rive,  67,  68,  73. 


229 


St.  Glair,  67,  68,  92. 

St.  Clair  County,  map  of,  94,  97, 
99,  102. 

St.  Cosme,  52,  62. 

St.  Esprit  mission,.  34,  44. 

Ste.  Genevieve,  68,  69. 

St.  Ignace,  34,  36,  37,  47,  62,  199. 

St.  Lawrence  river,  27,  35. 

St.  Louis,  68,  69,  70,  74,  112,  124, 
135,  138,  144,  209. 

St.   Louis  Chapter,   D.   A.  R.,   74. 

St.  Louis,   Fort,   62. 

St.  Louis  Observer,  148. 

St.  Mary's  of  the  Falls,  36. 

St.  Phillipe,  66,  69. 

St.  Vincents,  90. 

Salem,  143. 

Sale  of  bonds,  170. 

Saline  Reserves,   126. 

Saltillo,  186. 

Salt  Lake,  180. 

Santa  Anna,  183,  184. 

Sanitary  district,  207. 

San  Jacinto,  184. 

Saucier,  78. 

Saussier,  78. 

Sault  Sainte  Marie,  36. 

Savages  of  North  America,  45. 

Savannah,  142. 

School  lands,  127,  130,  131. 

Schools,  92,  124,  127,  130,  131,  132, 
133,  140,  187,  189. 

Scotland,  92. 

Scott,  70. 

Sea  kings,  12. 

Sea  to  sea,  31. 

Secretary  of  State,  131, 

Secretary  of  Treasury,  115. 

Secretary  of  War,  43. 

Secret  treaty,  73. 

Seely,  96. 

Seer  stone,  175. 

Seminary,  130. 

Seminary,  Rock  Spring,  128,  181. 

Sentence  of  Hay  Market  defend- 
ants, 206. 

Separate  property  of  married 
women,  195. 

Servants,  119. 


Servitude,  negro,  153. 

Settlement,    olden    Illinois,    51. 

Settlements,  French,  79. 

Settlers,  84,  106.  188. 

Settlers,  French,  66. 

Sham  duel,  120. 

Shawneetown,  114,  124,  140,  180. 

Shea,  42,  45,  48,  49,  54,  57. 

Shelbyville,  142,  143. 

Shenandoah  valley,  186. 

Sheridan,  Fort,   211. 

Shields,  182,  184,  185,  186. 

Short,  120. 

Shurtleff  college,  128. 

Sidney,  143. 

Sioux,  138. 

Slade,  132. 

Slate,  54. 

Slave  law,  fugitive,  156. 

Slavery,  69,  91,  122,  126,  153,  136, 
197. 

Slaves,  65,  69,  119,  153,  156. 

Slaves,  French,  156. 

Smith,  95,  116,  175,  176,  177,  178, 
179. 

Snively,  214. 

Snyder,  78. 

Society,  Chicago  Historical,  83, 
182. 

Society,  Illinois  State  Historical, 
70,  171,  211,  214. 

Society,  Missouri  Historical,  70. 

Soldiers,  195. 

Soldiers  &  Sailors  Home,  205. 

Southerly  bend,  91,  109,  110. 

Southern  Hotel,  74. 

Southern  Illinois  Normal,  132. 

Spain,  12,  23,  24,  73,  210. 

Spanish,  35. 

Spanish  claim,  map  of,  13,  22. 

Spanish  commandant,  84. 

Spanish,  English  and  French  dis- 
coveries, 19. 

Spanish  territory,  84. 

Springfield,  112,  140,  143,  170,  171, 
174,  177,  194,  197,  210. 

Special  legislation,  '198. 

Starved  Rock,  46,  49,  62. 


230 

State  Bank,  113,  123,  133,  140,  180,    Thomas,  103,  144. 

187.  Thread,  67. 

State,  eastern,  91.  Three  Rivers,  35. 

State,  middle,  91.  Three  R's,  131. 

State,  western,  91,  109.  Tippecanoe,  106. 

State  Historical  Library,  207,  212.    Title,  chain  of,  6,  7,  9,  10 

State  Historical  Society,  70,  211,   Title  page,  1. 

212.  Tobacco,  Brazil,  45. 

State  House,  197.  Todd,  83,  85. 

State  Normal,  132.  Todd's  Record,  83. 

State  of  Illinois,  109,  110,  111,  112.    Tons  of  coal,  56. 

Station,  first,  47.  Tonti,  44,  53,  57,  58,  61,  62,  63. 
Station,  pioneer  missionary,  36.       Topographical    Description, 

Statue  of  Menard,  115.  Hutchins',  43,  54. 

Steamboatfe,  105.  Tract,  Military,  108. 

Sterling,  73.  Traders,  French,  55. 

Stevens,  108,  139.  Traders,  fur,  35. 

Stillman,  137.  Transfer,  actual,  73. 

Stillman's  Run,  137.  Transportation,  204. 

Stones,  precious,  64.  Treasury,    Secretary    of,    115. 

Strikes,  202.  Treaty  of  Paris,  73. 

Stuart,  120.  Treaty,  secret,  73. 

Stuve,   171.  Trial  by  jury,  73. 

Superintendant    of    Schools,  131,   Tribe  northwest  of  Ohio,  10. 

132.  Tribes  of  Peoria,  40,  41,  43,  61. 

Superior,  Lake,  35,  44,  47.  Tribes  of  the  West,  31,  35,  36. 

Superior  men,  42.  Tribes,  western,  73. 

Surveyor,  213.  Tribunal,   military,   73.  > 

Swing,  200.  Trifles,  46. 

Swiss,  112.  Trinity  river,  62. 

Talon,  36.  Ultimate  extinction,  192. 

Tamaroa,  42.  Union  College  of  Law,   213. 

Tammarois,  40,  41,  42,  52.  United  States,  85,  89,  90,  91,  106, 

Tampico,  186.  108,  109,  124,  135,   136,   178,   183, 

Tanner,  210.  184,  186,  199,  203,  204. 

Taylor,  108,  138.  University,  130. 

Taxation  for  schools,  127.  University,  Normal,  131,  132,  190. 

Tecumseh,  106.  University  of  Illinois,  132. 

Terre  Haute,  143.  Upper  Alton,  128,  143. 

Territorial  record   1809-1818,  104.   Urbana,  132. 

Territory,  Illinois,  102,  103.  Utica,  37,  48,  55. 

Territory,  Indian,  44.  Vandalia,  113,  140,  142,  170. 

Territory,  Indiana,  43,  96,  99,  103.   Vera  Cruz,  183,  186. 
Territory,   Northwest,    88,    89,    94,   Vermilion  river,  55,  141. 

97,  109,  153.  Vessel,  new,  61. 

Territory,  Spanish,  84.  Verrazani,  26,  27. 

Texas,  184.  Versailles,  65. 

Thieves,  cunning,  46.  Vicksburg,  83. 

Thievish,  45.  Victoria,  186. 


231 

Vigo,  79.  Western  mail  route,    Great,    142, 

Village  of  Cahokia,  42.  144. 

Village  of  Illinese,  45.  Western  Normal,  132. 

Village  of  Illinois,  ancient,  46.  Western  state,  91,  109. 

Village  of  Pike  County,  116,  117,  Western  tribes,  73. 

199.  West,  Great,  180. 

Vincennes,  69,  76,  79,  103,  107,  142.  West,  Indian  tribes  of  the,  31,  35, 
Vincennes,  Post,  91,  102,  103,  109.       36. 

Virginia,  31,  74,  78,  79.  83,  84,  85,  West  Indies,  153. 

89,  90,  91,  92,  111,  182,  195.  West,  Paris  of  the,  50. 

Virginia,  patent  for,  30.  Wheat,  67. 

Virginia  settlers,   84.  Wheaton,  10. 

Wabash  river,  91,  95,  103,  106,  109,  Wheeler,  57. 

110.  White  men,  advent  of,  37. 

Wabash,  Great,  142.  Whites,  first,  47. 

Wabash,  Little,  142.  Whiteside,  137. 

Wandering,  45.  Width  of  state,  112. 

Wallace,  70.  Wife,  Rocheblave's,  84. 

War,   Black  Hawk,   108,   128,   134,  Williams,  73. 

135.  Winnebagos,  129,  136,  138. 

War,  Civil,  193,  195.  Winnebago  War,  129. 

War,  Cuban,  210.  Winsor,  41,  44,  49. 

War,  French-Indian,  68,  92.  Wisconsin,    37,    83,    109,    110,    112, 
War,  Mexican,  182,  183,  186,  190.  129,  181.  182. 

War  of  1812,  106.  Wisconsin  river,   37,  45,   135,   138. 

War,  Winnebago,  129.  Witchcraft,  95. 

Warsaw,  143.  Witnesses,  126. 

War,  Secretary  of,  43.  Woelk,  41. 

War  with  Spain,  210.  Wood,  190,  191. 

Washings  of  river,  50.  Woods,  Lake  of  the,  91,   109. 

Washington,  139,  195,  209.  Wool,  67. 

Water-way,  123,  172,  173,  203.  World's     Columbian     Exposition, 
Wells,  78.  207,   208,  209. 

Wesley  City,  57.  World's  Fair,  209. 

West,  Company  of  the,  64,  65,  153.  Yates,  195,  212. 

West,  Discovery  of  the  Great,  35,  Young,  179. 

49,  62. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

977.3P42H  C004 

PERRIN'S  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS  SPRINGFIELD 


30112025381960 


